This time, we’re addressing the first of our two-question analysis of the Districts’ record at the Supreme Court in civil cases: how likely is it that each District (and Division) will be affirmed unanimously?

In 2000, one-third of the decisions reviewed from Division One of the First District were affirmed unanimously, while none of the decisions from Division Four of the First or Division Four of the Second were.  In 2001, half of the decisions from Division Two of the Second District were affirmed unanimously, and one-third of the decisions from Division Three of the First District and Divisions One and Three of the Second.  In 2002, all the decisions from Divisions Two and Three of the First District were unanimously affirmed.  In 2003, one-third of the decisions from Division One of the First District were affirmed, but none of the decisions from Divisions Two, Four or Five of the First, or Divisions One or Four of the Second, were.  In 2004, all of the decisions from Division One of the First District were affirmed, while none of the decisions from Divisions Three or Four of the First or Two of the Second were unanimously affirmed.

In 2000, all of the decisions from Division Six of the Second District were unanimously affirmed, while none of the decisions from Division Seven of the Second, the Third District, Division One of the Fourth or the Fifth District were.  In 2001, half of the decisions from Divisions Five, Six and Seven of the Second District were unanimously affirmed.  In 2002, all of the decisions from the Fifth District were unanimously affirmed.  In 2003, all of the decisions from Division Six of the Second District were unanimously affirmed.  In 2004, all decisions from Division Two of the Fourth District were unanimously affirmed.

In 2005, two-thirds of the decisions from Division One of the First District and two-thirds of the decisions from Division Three of the Second were affirmed unanimously.  In 2006, all of the decisions from Division Three of the First District were affirmed unanimously.  In 2007, half of the decisions from Division Five of the First District were affirmed unanimously, while one-third of the decisions from Division Three of the First and Divisions Two and Four of the Second were.  In 2008, all of the decisions from Division Four of the First and Division One of the Second were unanimously affirmed.  In 2009, all the decisions from Divisions One and Two of the First District were unanimously affirmed.

In 2005, all the decisions from Division Seven of the Second District were unanimously affirmed – none of the of the decisions from Divisions Five, Six or Eight of the Second District, Division Three of the Fourth or the Sixth District were.  The following year, two-thirds of the decisions from Division Two of the Fourth District were affirmed unanimously, while none of the decisions from Divisions Six or Eight of the Second District or the Fifth or Sixth Districts were.  In 2007, half of the decisions from Divisions Two of the Fourth District and half from the Sixth District were affirmed.  In 2008, all the decisions from Division Three of the Fourth District were affirmed unanimously.  None of the decisions from Divisions Six or Eight of the Second District or the Third, Fifth or Sixth District were.  In 2009, all of the decisions from Division Five of the Second were affirmed unanimously, while none from Division Six of the Second or Division Two of the Fourth were.

Join us back here next time as we review the data for average votes to affirm.

Image courtesy of Flickr by Sheila Sund (no changes).