3.5 Trump and Circuit Courts

1. Where do the district court and appellate court fit into the organization of the federal courts?

 The district court is the lowest level of the federal courts, and it serves as a trial court. The appellate court is the next level up, and it handles appeals from the district court.

2. What makes the 9th Circuit stand out from the other circuit courts?

It tends to have liberal rulings that are often reversed by the Supreme Court if appealed.

3. What historical cause may make this Circuit Court more liberal than others?

15 out of the 23 judges in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals were appointed by Democrat Jimmy Carter.

4. Give two examples of very liberal decisions that have come from judges on this court.

Stephen Reinhardt wrote the opinions that ruled the Second Amendment doesn't recognize an individual right to bear arms and participated in the ruling that said the Pledge of Allegiance includes unconstitutional endorsement of religion with the words "under God."

5. What happens to most appellate court decisions when they reach the Supreme Court?

Most are overturned.

6. Which Circuit Courts are overturned more often than the 9th Circuit?

The 6th and 11th

7. Does the ideology of the court impact how often the Supreme Court overturns their rulings?  How do we know? 

Apparently not. The three courts with the lowest reversal rates are a moderate, liberal, and conservative one.

(article: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/1/10/16873718/ninth-circuit-court-appeals-liberal-conservative-trump-tweet)