I think this is more of a simplification than a true political affiliation. Judges have conservative and liberal leaning tendencies in their interpretation of t

I think this is more of a simplification than a true political affiliation. Judges have conservative and liberal leaning tendencies in their interpretation of the law -- they are supposed to provide an interpretation of the law and naturally that will land on one end of the political spectrum. Personal bias creeps into many rulings and is especially common at the lowest level courts (where checks are limited and visibility is low). Conservative judges can greatly limit progress on a number of hot button issues that matter to Republicans and similarly, liberal judges can push the interpretation of laws which might not be desired by the other side. Even at the Supreme Court level you can see the conflict play out.