The Full Read · Article by Article
Lucy Haeran Koh
Ninth Circuit · appt. Biden
7/7
🥇 Fit for the Bench
1Ethics & Recusalcritical
72%★ earned
“No man is allowed to be a judge in his own cause.” — Madison, Federalist No. 10
Confirmed 2021 after long district service; no documented disclosure lapses, upheld complaints, or recusal failures.
2Fidelity to Democracycritical
74%★ earned
“…a government of laws, and not of men.” — Marshall, Marbury v. Madison
Extensive judicial record reflects conventional respect for precedent and the rule of law; nothing adverse documented.
3Judicial Temperament
72%★ earned
“Justice must satisfy the appearance of justice.” — Frankfurter
No documented reprimands or complaints; reputation as a diligent, prepared jurist.
4Reason, Not Ideology
73%★ earned
“We are not final because we are infallible…” — Robert H. Jackson
Cited low reversal rate across thousands of opinions; criticism of her Qualcomm ruling was ideological, not about candor.
5Intellectual Honesty & Precedent
73%★ earned
“…to stand by things decided.” (stare decisis) — the common-law maxim
No documented inconsistency with precedent or confirmation testimony; substantial, consistent judicial record.
6Independence from Party
69%★ earned
“The complete independence of the courts of justice is peculiarly essential.” — Hamilton, Federalist No. 78
Biden appointee with a thin public record of notable ideological crossings; scored near neutral for lack of documentation.
7Personal Integrity
75%★ earned
“The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
No documented criminal, civil, or corruption matters; personal record appears clean.
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Scores are Independent 2026’s own editorial read against the Seven Articles — ≥60% earns the star. The first two Articles are critical: fail Ethics & Recusal or Fidelity to Democracy and there is no seal, whatever else holds. Each Article carries its founding quote as the yardstick. On bias →