In actions at law the federal courts follow in general the procedure provided for their own tribunals by the states in which they sit; but in equity cases the federal courts follow their own rules of procedure, which are founded on the practice in the chancery courts of Great Britain as they existed at the time of the adoption of the federal constitution. The result is that the equity practice of the federal courts is uniform throughout the Union, and is governed by the rules and decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States; while in law cases the practice is not uniform, but depends on the laws of the various states in which the courts are held. This distinction depends on statutory provisions, and is made for convenience in the practical administration of justice. (See above, § 146.)