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User:NoSeptember/Federal judge appointment history

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future improvements edit

  • Chart for each circuit
  • Summary chart of circuit judges nationwide
  • Add percentages (% GOP, % Dem)
  • List circuits in order of political composition, highest % GOP to highest % Democratic
  • List of circuit judges confirmed with the most votes against them (by term)

Updated Introduction edit

The selection of federal judges has become viewed as a political process in the last several decades. This is especially true of Supreme Court and United States court of appeals appointments. These charts show the composition of the supreme and circuit courts at the end of each four year Presidential term, categorizing the judges by the Presidential term during which they were nominated for their seat. Courts with a higher percentage of Republican appointed judges tend to be more conservative than those with many Democratic appointees, although the party of the President who appointed a judge is not always a good indicator of that judge's judicial philosophy and place on the political spectrum.

Introduction edit

The selection of federal judges has become viewed as a political process in the last several decades. This is especially true of Supreme Court and United States court of appeals appointments. These charts show the composition of the supreme and circuit courts at the end of each four year Presidential term, categorizing the judges by the Presidential term during which they were nominated for their seat. Courts with a higher percentage of Republican appointed judges tend to be more conservative than those with many Democratic appointees, although the party of the President who appointed a judge is not always a good indicator of that judge's judicial philosophy and place on the political spectrum.

The appointment of federal judges has become viewed as a political process in the last several decades. This is especially true of U.S. Supreme Court and court of appeals appointments. These charts show the composition of the Supreme and circuit courts at the end of each four year Presidential term, categorizing the judges by the Presidential term during which they were nominated for their seat.

Most federal courts currently have a majority of Republican President appointees. Courts with a higher percentage of Republican appointed judges tend to be more conservative than those with many Democratic appointees, although the party of the President who appointed a judge is not always a good indicator of that judge's judicial philosophy and place on the political spectrum.

* as of July 21, 2005

Supreme Court edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ		 DDE
2		 DDE
1
current* 9 7 2 - - - - 2 2 2 1 - 1 1 - - - -
2004 9 7 2 - - - - 2 2 2 1 - 1 1 - - - -
2000 9 7 2 - - - - 2 2 2 1 - 1 1 - - - -
1996 9 7 2 - - - - 2 2 2 1 - 1 1 - - - -
1992 9 8 1 - - - - - 2 2 1 - 1 2 - 1 - -
1988 9 7 2 - - - - - - 2 1 - 1 2 1 1 - 1
1984 9 7 2 - - - - - - - 1 - 1 4 1 1 - 1
1980 9 7 2 - - - - - - - - - 1 4 1 1 1 1

Court of appeals (summary of 13 circuits combined) edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ		 DDE
2		 DDE
1
current* 179 97 69 13 5 33 34 26 29 20 8 9 1 1 - - - -
2004 179 94 69 16 - 34 34 26 29 21 8 9 1 1 - - - -
2000 179 76 78 25 - - 34 30 35 28 11 14 1 1 - - - -
1996 179 105 54 20 - - - 30 40 45 14 22 3 2 1 1 - 1
1992 179 119 42 18 - - - - 40 50 20 40 5 3 1 1 - 1
1988 168 96 62 10 - - - - - 50 26 53 9 10 8 1 - 1
1984 168 66 76 26 - - - - - - 33 57 15 17 14 5 - 1
1980 140 50 86 4 - - - - - - - 59 16 30 19 8 2 2
Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ		 DDE
2		 DDE
1
current* 100% 54% 39% 7% 3% 18% 19% 15% 16% 11% 4% 5% 1% 1% - - - -
2004 100% 52% 39% 9% - 19% 19% 15% 16% 12% 4% 5% 1% 1% - - - -
2000 100% 42% 44% 14% - - 19% 17% 20% 16% 6% 8% 1% 1% - - - -
1996 100% 59% 30% 11% - - - 17% 22% 25% 8% 12% 2% 1% 1% 1% - 1%
1992 100% 67% 23% 10% - - - - 22% 28% 11% 22% 3% 2% 1% 1% - 1%
1988 100% 57% 37% 6% - - - - - 30% 16% 32% 5% 6% 5% 1% - 1%
1984 100% 39% 45% 16% - - - - - - 20% 34% 9% 10% 8% 3% - 1%
1980 100% 36% 61% 3% - - - - - - - 42% 11% 21% 14% 6% 1% 1%
Partisan mix of the courts
(ranked in partisan order)
as of July 21, 2005		 Percentage
appointed
by
Republicans		 Percentage
appointed
by
Democrats
8th Circuit 82% 18%
5th 75% 25%
7th 73% 27%
Federal 67% 33%
1st 67% 33%
DC 64% 36%
4th 62% 38%
Total of 13 circuits 58% 42%
10th 58% 42%
11th 58% 42%
6th 57% 43%
3rd 50% 50%
2nd 42% 58%
9th 33% 67%

First Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ
current* 6 4 2 - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 - - - -
2004 6 4 2 - - 1 1 1 1 1 1 - - - -
2000 6 4 2 - - - 1 1 2 1 1 - - - -
1996 6 5 1 - - - - 1 3 1 1 - - - -
1992 6 5 1 - - - - - 3 1 1 1 - - -
1988 6 3 3 - - - - - - 1 1 2 - 1 1
1984 6 2 3 1 - - - - - - 1 2 - 1 1
1980 4 1 3 - - - - - - - - 2 - 1 1

Second Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ
current* 13 5 7 1 - 3 5 2 2 - - - - - - -
2004 13 5 7 1 - 3 5 2 2 - - - - - - -
2000 13 2 10 1 - - 5 4 2 - - 1 - - - -
1996 13 5 6 2 - - - 4 3 1 1 2 - - - -
1992 13 10 2 1 - - - - 3 3 3 2 1 - - -
1988 13 9 3 1 - - - - - 3 4 2 1 1 1 -
1984 13 7 4 2 - - - - - - 4 2 2 1 1 1
1980 11 6 4 1 - - - - - - - 2 2 4 1 1

Third Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ
current* 14 6 6 2 - 3 4 1 2 1 - 1 - - -
2004 14 8 6 - - 4 4 1 2 2 - 1 - - -
2000 14 6 6 2 - - 4 1 2 3 1 1 - - -
1996 14 11 2 1 - - - 1 3 7 1 1 - - -
1992 14 11 1 2 - - - - 3 7 1 1 - - -
1988 12 9 3 - - - - - - 7 1 2 - 1 1
1984 12 6 4 2 - - - - - - 1 2 1 4 2
1980 10 6 4 - - - - - - - - 2 1 5 2

Fourth Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ		 DDE
2
current* 15 8 5 2 - 2 3 2 3 1 1 - - 1 - - -
2004 15 8 5 2 - 2 3 2 3 1 1 - - 1 - - -
2000 15 6 5 4 - - 3 2 3 1 1 - - 1 - - -
1996 15 9 4 2 - - - 2 4 1 1 2 1 2 - - -
1992 15 9 3 3 - - - - 4 1 1 3 1 2 - - -
1988 11 6 5 - - - - - - 1 2 4 1 2 1 - -
1984 11 6 5 - - - - - - - 3 4 1 2 1 - -
1980 10 4 6 - - - - - - - - 4 1 2 2 - 1

Fifth Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ		 DDE
2		 DDE
1
current* 17 12 4 1 1 2 - 3 4 2 3 1 - - - - - -
2004 17 11 4 2 - 2 - 3 4 2 3 1 - - - - - -
2000 17 9 5 3 - - - 4 4 2 3 1 - - - - - -
1996 17 11 6 - - - - 4 4 3 4 2 - - - - - -
1992 17 11 2 4 - - - - 4 3 4 2 - - - - - -
1988 16 9 6 1 - - - - - 3 4 6 1 1 - - - -
1984 16 7 7 2 - - - - - - 5 7 1 1 - - - -
1980 14 3 10 1 - - - - - - - 8 1 1 2 - - 1

Note: The 5th Circuit judges who were transferred to the 11th Circuit in 1982 are not included in the 5th Circuit numbers for 1980.

Sixth Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ		 DDE
2
current* 16 8 6 2 2 4 2 3 1 1 - 1 - - - - -
2004 16 6 6 4 - 4 2 3 1 1 - 1 - - - - -
2000 16 5 7 4 - - 2 3 3 2 - 2 - - - - -
1996 16 7 6 3 - - - 3 3 4 - 3 - - - - -
1992 16 9 5 2 - - - - 3 5 1 5 - - - - -
1988 16 10 5 1 - - - - - 5 3 5 1 1 - - -
1984 16 6 6 4 - - - - - - 4 5 1 1 - 1 -
1980 11 3 8 - - - - - - - - 6 1 1 1 1 1

Seventh Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ
current* 11 8 3 - - 1 1 2 1 4 2 - - - - -
2004 11 8 3 - - 1 1 2 1 4 2 - - - - -
2000 11 8 3 - - - 1 2 1 4 3 - - - - -
1996 11 8 3 - - - - 2 1 4 3 - - - 1 -
1992 11 9 2 - - - - - 1 4 3 1 1 - 1 -
1988 11 9 2 - - - - - - 4 3 1 2 - 1 -
1984 11 6 2 3 - - - - - - 4 1 2 - 1 -
1980 9 4 4 1 - - - - - - - 1 2 2 2 1

Eighth Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ
current* 11 9 2 - - 6 1 1 2 1 - - - - -
2004 11 9 2 - - 6 1 1 2 1 - - - - -
2000 11 6 4 1 - - 1 1 3 2 1 2 - - -
1996 11 8 3 - - - - 1 3 3 2 2 - - -
1992 11 9 2 - - - - - 3 3 3 2 - - -
1988 10 6 3 1 - - - - - 3 3 2 - - 1
1984 10 4 5 1 - - - - - - 3 2 - 1 3
1980 9 3 5 1 - - - - - - - 2 1 2 3

Ninth Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ
current* 28 8 16 4 - 4 11 2 2 2 - 3 - - - -
2004 28 8 16 4 - 4 11 2 2 2 - 3 - - - -
2000 28 7 18 3 - - 11 3 4 3 - 4 - - - -
1996 28 10 10 8 - - - 3 4 6 - 6 - - - 1
1992 28 14 13 1 - - - - 4 7 2 12 - 1 - 1
1988 28 11 14 3 - - - - - 7 2 13 - 2 - 1
1984 28 8 16 4 - - - - - - 3 15 3 2 - 1
1980 23 7 16 - - - - - - - - 15 3 4 - 1

Tenth Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ
current* 12 7 5 - - 4 - 4 1 2 - 1 - - - -
2004 12 7 5 - - 4 - 4 1 2 - 1 - - - -
2000 12 5 5 2 - - - 4 1 4 - 1 - - - -
1996 12 7 5 - - - - 4 1 6 - 1 - - - -
1992 12 7 3 2 - - - - 1 6 - 3 - - - -
1988 10 6 4 - - - - - - 6 - 3 - - 1 -
1984 10 1 4 5 - - - - - - - 3 - 1 1 -
1980 8 3 5 - - - - - - - - 3 - 3 1 1

Eleventh Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ
current* 12 7 5 - - 1 3 1 4 1 - 1 1 - -
2004 12 7 5 - - 1 3 1 4 1 - 1 1 - -
2000 12 6 5 1 - - 3 1 4 1 - 1 1 - -
1996 12 8 2 2 - - - 1 4 2 - 1 2 - -
1992 12 8 3 1 - - - - 4 2 - 3 2 - -
1988 12 6 6 - - - - - - 2 - 6 3 1 -
1984 12 4 8 - - - - - - - - 7 3 1 1
1980 12 4 8 - - - - - - - - 7 3 1 1

Note: In 1980, the 11th Circuit had not yet been created, but the judges that were later transfered to the 11th Circuit from the 5th Circuit are shown here.

DC Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ
current* 12 7 4 1 2 1 - 3 2 2 - 1 - - - -
2004 12 7 4 1 2 1 - 3 2 2 - 1 - - - -
2000 12 5 4 3 - - - 3 2 3 - 1 - - - -
1996 12 6 5 1 - - - 3 2 4 - 2 - - - -
1992 12 7 4 1 - - - - 2 5 - 4 - - - -
1988 12 6 5 1 - - - - - 5 1 4 - - 1 -
1984 12 3 7 2 - - - - - - 3 4 - - 2 1
1980 11 3 8 - - - - - - - - 4 - 3 2 2

Federal Circuit edit

Year Total Appointed
by
Republicans		 Appointed
by
Democrats		 Vacant GWB
2		 GWB
1		 WJC
2		 WJC
1		 GHWB RWR
2		 RWR
1		 JEC RMN
/GRF		 RMN
1		 LBJ JFK
/LBJ		 DDE
2		 DDE
1
current* 12 8 4 - - 1 3 1 4 2 1 - - - - - - -
2004 12 8 4 - - 1 3 1 4 2 1 - - - - - - -
2000 12 7 4 1 - - 3 1 4 2 1 - - - - - - -
1996 12 10 1 1 - - - 1 5 3 1 - - - - - - 1
1992 12 10 1 1 - - - - 5 3 1 1 - - - - - 1
1988 12 7 3 2 - - - - - 3 2 3 - 1 - - - 1
1984 12 7 5 - - - - - - - 2 3 1 3 1 1 - 1
1980 11 6 5 - - - - - - - - 3 1 4 1 1 - 1

Note: The Federal Circuit was created in 1982. The judges that sat on the courts that were combined into the Federal circuit are shown in 1980 for trend comparison purposes.

Acronym Key edit

Acronym President Term Date Range
GWB 2 George W. Bush second January 20, 2005 - present
GWB 1 George W. Bush first January 20, 2001 - January 20, 2005
WJC 2 Bill Clinton second January 20, 1997 - January 20, 2001
WJC 1 Bill Clinton first January 20, 1993 - January 20, 1997
GHWB George H. W. Bush only January 20, 1989 - January 20, 1993
RWR 2 Ronald Reagan second January 20, 1985 - January 20, 1989
RWR 1 Ronald Reagan first January 20, 1981 - January 20, 1985
JEC Jimmy Carter only January 20, 1977 - January 20, 1981
RMN/GRF Nixon and Ford split January 20, 1973 - January 20, 1977
RMN 1 Richard Nixon first January 20, 1969 - January 20, 1973
LBJ Lyndon Johnson second January 20, 1965 - January 20, 1969
JFK/LBJ Kennedy and Johnson split January 20, 1961 - January 20, 1965
DDE 2 Dwight Eisenhower second January 20, 1957 - January 20, 1961
DDE 1 Dwight Eisenhower first January 20, 1953 - January 20, 1957

See also edit

External links edit

Ideological Voting on Federal Courts of Appeals

Catexgory:Judicial Branch of the United States Government Catxegory:Politics of the U.S.

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