An analysis of judicial rulings by the Environmental Law Institute shows that judges appointed by Democrats are markedly more likely than judges appointed by Republicans to rule in favor of plaintiffs who sue the feds for violating certain environmental regulations — and the disparity is even more striking when the focus is on judges appointed by President Bush.Says Patti Goldman of Earthjustice, “It makes you realize that it really, really matters who appoints the judges.” Read the court talk in Muckraker — today on the Grist Magazine website.