Injustice On Appeal: The United States Courts of Appeals in Crisis - Hardcover

"Injustice on Appeal provides a fascinating glimpse into the generally unknown crisis gripping the U.S. Courts of Appeals. William M. Richman and William L. Reynolds delve into the evolution of the courts of appeals from their very beginnings to the present day behemoth that must handle a growing number of cases without adding judges. This book is perfect for an academic law library because it provides fascinating insight into the workings of the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Law firms with attorneys who practice in the courts of appeals will also find it interesting. The book is not only informative, but also enjoyable and easy to read." --Law Library Journal - Deborah L. Heller, Reference Librarian and Lecturer in Law, Arthur W. Diamond Law Library, Columbia Law School. "Injustice on Appeal provides a fascinating glimpse into the generally unknown crisis gripping the U.S. Courts of Appeals. William M. Richman and William L. Reynolds delve into the evolution of the courts of appeals from their very beginnings to the present day behemoth that must handle a growing number of cases without adding judges. This book is perfect for an academic law library because it provides fascinating insight into the workings of the U.S. Courts of Appeals. Law firms with attorneys who practice in the courts of appeals will also find it interesting. The book is not only informative, but also enjoyable and easy to read." --Law Library Journal - Deborah L. Heller, Reference Librarian and Lecturer in Law, Arthur W. Diamond Law Library, Columbia Law School.

The United States Circuit Courts of Appeals are among the most important governmental institutions in our society. However, because the Supreme Court can hear less than 150 cases per year, the Circuit Courts (with a combined caseload of over 60,000) are, for practical purposes, the courts of last resort for all but a tiny fraction of federal court litigation. Thus, their significance, both for ultimate dispute resolution and for the formation and application of federal law, cannot be overstated.

Yet, in the last forty years, a dramatic increase in caseload and a systemic resistance to an increased judgeship have led to a crisis. Signed published opinions form only a small percentage of dispositions; judges confer on fifty routine cases in an afternoon; and most litigants are denied oral argument completely.

In Injustice on Appeal: The United States Courts of Appeals in Crisis, William M. Richman and William L. Reynolds chronicle the transformation of the United States Circuit Courts; consider the merits and dangers of continued truncating procedures; catalogue and respond to the array of specious arguments against increasing the size of the judiciary; and consider several ways of reorganizing the circuit courts so that they can dispense traditional high quality appellate justice even as their caseloads and the number of appellate judgeships increase. The work serves as an analytical capstone to the authors' thirty years of research on the issue and will constitute a powerful piece of advocacy for a more responsible and egalitarian approach to caseload glut facing the circuit courts.