How Appealing tips us to this news release from the Ninth Circuit, announcing that Judge Andrew Kleinfeld is taking senior status. This creates a vacancy to be filled by the present adminstration, which already has already demonstrated a desire to move the worst federal court in the nation on criminal justice issues in the direction of being even worse. As a person of sense, Judge Kleinfeld is in the minority on that court. Replacing him with someone who is not would be a severe blow to the cause of justice.

That said, Judge Kleinfeld has serve long and honorably and deserves to ease into semiretirement if that is what he wants to do. We wish him well.