The newest 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge was sworn in Friday in eastern Idaho.
Ryan Nelson, a longtime Idaho Falls resident and attorney for Melaleuca, was nominated by President Donald Trump to the 9th Circuit in May. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a mostly partisan vote of 51-44.
During his investiture ceremony in Idaho Falls, Nelson said he believed the courts should be the weakest branch of the government, adding that the courts had gained more power than intended over the years.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals handles federal appellate cases for most Western states, including Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada, as well as the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. (AP)
