In which judicial setting would the authority from other panels be binding?

The correct answer indicates that in the U.S. Courts of Appeals, the authority from other panels within the same circuit is binding. This is due to the principle of stare decisis, which mandates that lower courts and panels within the same appellate court must follow established legal precedents set by prior decisions within that court. This creates consistency in the application of law and ensures that similar cases are treated similarly.

For instance, if a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decides a particular legal issue, subsequent panels in that circuit are obligated to follow that decision unless it is overturned by the full Court or by a higher authority, such as the U.S. Supreme Court. This differs from other judicial settings, such as state district courts, where decisions made by appellate courts within the state may not be binding. In California's Supreme Court, while its decisions are binding on lower courts, the query specifically pertains to the binding authority within panels. In local trial courts, decisions are not typically binding on one another, as each case is generally decided on its own merits. Thus, the U.S. Courts of Appeals exemplify the binding authority of panels effectively.