"True, Brown was a state supreme court justice, but where do you think most of the appeals come from that reach the federal appellate courts? The state."
Excuse me? I can only assume you are not an attorney (I am).
Appeals to federal courts come primarily from federal district (trial) courts, as well as bankruptcy courts, tax courts, and immigration courts. NO cases brought in state court are appealed to the federal appellate courts.
Excuse me? - - decisions from state appellate courts, when they involve federal law or federal constitutional questions, can be appealed to the US Supreme Court. Many landmark US Supreme Court decisions have been in cases that came up from state courts, not from federal circuit courts. Janice Brown's caseload on the California Supreme Court has given her plenty of experience with issues of federal constitutional law. If you're really an attorney, do a Lexis search of her opinions, and the constitutional issues involved, and see for yourself.
Oh, and Souter was on the 1st US Circuit when he was nominated (He'd been on the New Hampshire Supreme Court previously) Federal court background certainly didn't make him a reliable Supreme Court nominee.
I was with you earlier, but here, we part ways. NO cases brought in state court are appealed to the federal appellate courts? What kind of attorneying do you do that you'd say that? That's complete horse manure. Just to start with, all kinds of habeas petitions from criminals are reviewed in federal courts after the criminals start appealing state court actions. Ditto state actions that have already been reviewed in state supreme courts!