en banc review

En banc review is a process in which all the judges of a federal appellate court, rather than just a panel of three, come together to re-examine a case. This typically happens when an issue is particularly important, controversial, or has already produced conflicting decisions. The goal is to ensure consistency and clarity in the court’s rulings. Such reviews are relatively rare and usually occur after a panel of judges has issued an initial decision that one or more parties may seek to change or clarify.