washington president donald trump effort reshape influential u.s. court stock conservative judge face least one significant impediment court best place thwart agenda liberal majorities likely stay place short-term court include influential washington appeal court two appellate court rule trump case involve travel ban influx fresh liberal blood president barack obama trump go able make significant dent democrats control three appellate circuit say arthur hellman professor university pittsburgh school law eight years office obama able make enough appointments leave strong liberal imprint federal court leave white house january nine 13 federal appeal court majority democratic-appointed judge federal appeal court divide 11 geographic regions plus two base district columbia often final say major legal dispute conservative-leaning u.s. supreme court include trump appointee neil gorsuch overrule appeal court decisions hear small number case leave low court rule place time appeal court shape interpretation issue abortion religious freedom vote right race appellate court judge serve lifetime term far trump opportunities appoint new ones mostly limit court already lean conservative among court conservatives would like shift san francisco-based 9th u.s. circuit court appeal richmond virginia-based 4th u.s. circuit court appeal rule trump case challenge republican president executive order temporarily ban travel unite state people six predominantly muslim countries supreme court partially revive ban last month ideological balance court provide hope trump legal opponents include democratic state attorneys general already sue administration travel ban issue strategic attorneys general likely chart path democratic-leaning court make hard trump administration pursue agenda executive action say sarah binder scholar nonpartisan brook institution think tank thank part efforts republican-led senate final two years obama presidency block democratic president judicial appointments trump 21 appeal court slot fill accord federal judiciary administrative office senate judiciary committee approve two trump appeal court nominees thursday key court new vacancies near term likely slot currently fill republican appointees trump early appointments unlikely change court balance case point announcement week republican appointee janice rogers brown washington appeal court plan step washington u.s. court appeal district columbia circuit often call second-highest court land part hear large number case concern major government regulations issue environment labor democratic appointees hold 7-4 advantage among 11 active judge democratic appointees judge david tatel 75 judge judith rogers 77. next old merrick garland 64. obama make four appointments court old 56. san francisco-based 9th u.s. circuit court appeal also stack trump 25 full-time judge democratic presidents appoint 18 republican presidents seven old democratic appointee liberal icon stephen reinhardt 86 years old 10 9th circuit judge appoint president bill clinton still work full-time range age 63 72 none give indication plan reduce caseloads court currently four vacancies three seat base state california oregon hawaii two democratic senators likely resist attempt place extreme conservatives court dynamics make extremely unlikely trump able significantly alter 9th circuit orientation hellman say virginia-based 4th circuit 10-5 majority democratic appointees current vacancies old democratic appointee judge robert king 77. leonard leo executive vice president conservative federalist society advise white house judicial nominations optimistic trump long-term prospect take time recalibrate federal court say meantime leo say every slot matter since conservative judge liberal-majority court offer critical dissent important case serve kind signal function supreme court trump face obstacles bid re-shape key u.s. court