In a surprise move... a closely divided House approved a floor amendment offered by Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho that would split the Ninth Circuit into three smaller circuits. The new Ninth would consist of California and Hawaii, plus Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. A new Twelfth Circuit would comprise Arizona, Nevada, Idaho and Montana, and a new Thirteenth Circuit would consist of Washington, Oregon and Alaska. All these states and territories make up the current Ninth Circuit.... Dividing the Ninth and setting up administrative structures for the two new circuits would be enormously disruptive and expensive -- initial...