COURTS/GOP/SENATE/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT/TRUMP PEOPLE: “Aided by fellow Republicans in the Senate, President Donald Trump is rapidly filling vacancies on U.S. appeals courts, moving some that had liberal majorities closer to conservative control in an ideological shift that could benefit his administration. These 13 courts wield considerable power, usually providing the last word on rulings appealed from lower courts on disputes involving federal law. Their rulings can be challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court, but most such appeals are turned away because the top court typically hears fewer than 100 cases annually. Eleven of the courts handle cases from specific multi-state regions, one handles cases from Washington, D.C., while another specializes in patent cases. Presidents can reshape the federal judiciary with their appointments and seek to appoint judges they believe share their ideological leanings. Republicans typically strive to pick conservatives while Democrats generally aim to appoint liberals, all subject to Senate confirmation.”
–Lawrence Hurley, “Trump chips away at liberal U.S. appeals court majorities,” Reuters, September 20, 2018 7:03 am