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Taking It to the Next Level: The Elevation of District Court Judges to the U.S. Courts of Appeals

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  • Elisha Carol Savchak
  • Thomas G. Hansford
  • Donald R. Songer
  • Kenneth L. Manning
  • Robert A. Carp

Abstract

We address an important aspect of judicial careers: the elevation of judges from the U.S. District Courts to the Courts of Appeals. We argue that the likelihood of a judge being elevated is a function of informational cues and signals regarding the nature of the judge and the judge's compatibility with presidential preferences. We also expect norms involving the intersection between geography and Senate politics to affect a judge's elevation chances. Using data on district court judges appointed between 1946 and 1995, we find that the likelihood of a judge being elevated is a function of the judge's ideological compatibility with the president, the judge's previous ABA rating, and Senate norms involving state “ownership” of appeals court seats. Blunt indicators of policy preferences trump direct signals when presidents decide whom to elevate, leaving judges little control over their career prospects and thus less incentive to slant their decisions in the direction of the president's preferences.

Suggested Citation

  • Elisha Carol Savchak & Thomas G. Hansford & Donald R. Songer & Kenneth L. Manning & Robert A. Carp, 2006. "Taking It to the Next Level: The Elevation of District Court Judges to the U.S. Courts of Appeals," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 50(2), pages 478-493, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:amposc:v:50:y:2006:i:2:p:478-493
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-5907.2006.00197.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Tom Campbell & Nathaniel T. Wilcox, 2020. "Younger Federal District Court Judges Favor Presidential Power," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 63(1), pages 181-202.
    2. Allen Huang & Kai Wai Hui & Reeyarn Zhiyang Li, 2019. "Federal Judge Ideology: A New Measure of Ex Ante Litigation Risk," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(2), pages 431-489, May.

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