In December 1998, the Commission on Structural Alternatives for the Federal
Courts of Appeals issued a report and recommendations for Congress and the
President. The commission resulted from ongoing controversy over splitting
the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The commissioners clearly
suggested that the circuit remain intact but proposed three regionally bas
ed adjudicative divisions for the appeals court. However, the commission di
d not adduce persuasive empirical evidence that the Ninth Circuit experienc
es difficulties that are sufficiently problematic to warrant treatment, par
ticularly with the essentially untested divisional arrangement. Accordingly
, the Ninth Circuit should continue to experiment with promising measures.