Diversity issue heats up debate over splitting 9th Circuit

Interesting article from the National Law Journal:

"The long-simmering debate over splitting the nation's largest federal appellate court heated up last week when one 9th Circuit judge complained that a new breakaway circuit would have no Hispanic judges.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is currently considering S.B.1845, to split the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals with California and a much smaller Hawaii and Guam in a new, shrunken 9th Circuit. A new 12th Circuit would be composed of Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska."   (sub req)

[RJ]