Other than in this case, the high court’s opinion said, “we are aware of no cases in which a court of appeals panel has purported to issue a binding decision that was joined at the time of release by less than a quorum of the judges who were alive at the time.” Issuing a ruling written by Judge Reinhardt after his death “effectively allowed a deceased judge to exercise the judicial power of the United States after this death. But federal judges are appointed for life, not for eternity."

Source: Los Angeles Times February 25, 2019 16:01 UTC