Reply #19: your claim that congress can't restrict the jurisdiction of the lower cts

[MrCoffee]

is flat out wrong. Congress can do whatever they want with the lower courts. Read the Constitution...the only judiciary REQUIRED by the Constituiton is the Supreme Court, and the ONLY jurisdicition SCOTUS has that is mandated by the Constituiton is:
Article III; Section 2:
The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority;--to all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls;--to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction;--to controversies to which the United States shall be a party;--to controversies between two or more states;--between a state and citizens of another state;--between citizens of different states;--between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants of different states, and between a state, or the citizens thereof, and foreign states, citizens or subjects.

In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and those in which a state shall be party, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions, and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.

The appellate jurisdiciton of the Supreme Court was intended to extend to STATE, NOT FEDERAL courts. Marbury changed all that.