Judge-level disparity

Seventh Circuit · 2020–2025 · 1,375 modeled decisions

Decision relief

11.1%

Judge-model universe · 153 of 1,375

Routine3.4%
Doctrine19.8%
Counts & definition

Any reversal, vacatur, remand, or comparable appellate relief; the broader outcome used by the thesis judge analysis.

All decisions: 153 relief / 1,375 decisions.

Routine: 25 relief / 728 decisions.

Doctrine: 128 relief / 647 decisions.

Sentence relief

12.2%

Sentencing-at-issue decisions · 91 of 748

Routine3.6%
Doctrine21.4%
Counts & definition

Relief tied specifically to the sentence or further sentencing proceedings.

All decisions: 91 relief / 748 decisions; 653 unknown and excluded.

Routine: 14 relief / 388 decisions; 361 unknown and excluded.

Doctrine: 77 relief / 360 decisions; 292 unknown and excluded.

Judge comparisons

Decision relief · 1,375 decisions

Raw overall decision relief. Bubble area represents case count.

0%06%12513%25019%37525%500Raw overall decision reliefCases with the judge on the panelFlaum: 108 cases; 25.0% raw overall reliefFlaumManion: 71 cases; 21.1% raw overall reliefRipple: 115 cases; 13.9% raw overall reliefBarrett: 37 cases; 16.2% raw overall reliefWood: 298 cases; 14.4% raw overall reliefJackson-Akiwumi: 205 cases; 11.7% raw overall reliefRovner: 255 cases; 11.8% raw overall reliefKanne: 147 cases; 13.6% raw overall reliefSt. Eve: 404 cases; 11.6% raw overall reliefHamilton: 293 cases; 11.3% raw overall reliefLee: 173 cases; 12.1% raw overall reliefBauer: 44 cases; 15.9% raw overall reliefBrennan: 397 cases; 9.6% raw overall reliefEasterbrook: 346 cases; 10.4% raw overall reliefSykes: 313 cases; 9.9% raw overall reliefPryor: 133 cases; 9.8% raw overall reliefMaldonado: 55 cases; 5.5% raw overall reliefScudder: 377 cases; 7.7% raw overall reliefKolar: 91 cases; 5.5% raw overall reliefKirsch: 287 cases; 7.7% raw overall relief

How the comparison is made

  1. One row per decisionSeventh Circuit, 2020–2025
  2. Case characteristicsPosture, offense & publication track
  3. Actual panelUnique members share equal weight
  4. Joint modelRoutine baseline & Doctrine difference
  5. Common docketsFocal judge with average circuit peers
Analysis details

This refit counts each disposition once in the likelihood: 1,375 decisions and 4,152 unique panel memberships. The decision-relief chart uses this same universe. Sentence relief is shown for its separate 748-decision sentencing subset; Research detail models that outcome separately.

Each decision’s panel contribution is the average of its actual unique members—one-third per judge on a normal three-judge panel. Publication track is explicit; posture and offense are the other case-level controls. The model standardizes both publication tracks internally, then displays only their recombined Overall posterior mean for a focal judge with two average circuit colleagues.

Raw overall is the observed rate for decisions associated with that judge. Modeled overall recombines the two modeled track rates using that judge’s observed Routine and Doctrine counts. Judges are ordered by modeled Overall relief.

The likelihood counts each disposition once and averages the actual participating panel. The comparison is observational and does not identify an individual vote or causal effect.

Relief requires a material change in the party’s legal position. Clerical corrections, duplicate orders, corrected captions, and non-substantive judgment modifications are not decision relief or sentence relief.