566 PART SIX APPOINTED OFFICIALS case to which state law,rather than federal law,applies.The federal court must also accept the facts determined by the state court unless such findings are clearly in error.In short,legal and factual determinations of state courts can 在录汁洪oe5← 1o0 (中 bind the federal courts-a clear contradiction of the federal-court myth. However,cases traditionally within the jurisdiction of the states can become hot cuhaditt federal cases through rulings of federal courts.In Roe v.Wade (1973),for example,the Supreme Court concluded that women had a right to abortion fdolaw under the U.S.Constitution,thus taking away from the states an issue that they had previously decided.12 When court jurisdictions overlap,the governing principle is comity-the idea that the laws of a governing authority(such as a state)will be respected even though the dispute is being settled by a court of a different authority(such as another state or the national government).Adherence to this principle is essential if federalism is to work effectively and harmoniously.Consider a state civil suit involving residents of different states.In such situations,the plaintiff (the person who initiates a court suit)can choose to bring the suit either in his or her state court or in federal court;however,if the plaintiff brings the suit in state court,the defendant(the person against whom a suit is brought)can have the case removed to federal court if the suit involves a claim of $10,000 or more.In such cases of multiple jurisdiction,confusion would result if no principle existed for deciding which laws apply-those of the plaintiff's state or the defendant's state.Accordingly,the principle of comity dictates that if such cases are removed to the federal judiciary,they are decided under the laws of the plaintiff's state and that the defendant's state must honor the decision. Federal Court Appointees By the time President Ronald Reagan left office in January 1989,he had S. appointed almost half of all federal judges,filling vacancies that had resulted from resignations,retirements,and deaths(see Figure 24-2).Reagan selected Roev.Wade,410U.s.113(1973). The idea that the federal judiciary should be able to hear such cases arose in 1787 because of fears that a state court would be biased toward the interests of its own citizens. Percentage of federal judges appointed by Reagan 100 80 60 FIGURE 24-2 Percentage of 40 Federal Judges Who Were Appointed by President Reagan Ronald Reagan's eight years as 20 president enabled him to appoint nearly half of all federal judges and thus to go far in his efforts to remake the federal judiciary. 1981 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 Source:Department of justice data Year