
Originally Posted by
RandBlade
I'm not American and even I know that's a complete misreading of the situation. It is absolutely standard practice for in the absence of higher rulings that appellate courts make decisions. It only becomes "definitively ruled upon" once SCOTUS rules but until then the appellate courts are not only free to make their own rulings, it is their job. Very rarely have SCOTUS ruled before appellate courts have, SCOTUS would be jumping the gun if it went before the appellate courts.