Appeals Court
Re “Judge Criticizes Proposal to Break Up Federal Appeals Court,” May 25: Circuit Judge Procter Hug Jr.’s criticism is laughable. What Judge Hug apparently fails to realize is that under the current federal appeals system in California only the very small percentage of appellate cases that are decided en banc have any precedent-setting effect. Consequently, many three-judge decisions on California cases already lead to different precedents on the same issue.
Splitting California will hardly result in an increased number of inconsistent precedents. If anything it should result in a decrease of such precedents, since then, more of the cases can be expected to be decided by a more mindful en banc panel.
BILL EISEN
Manhattan Beach
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