The applicable standard of review on appeal is governed by a simple rule: appellate courts review questions of law de novo, questions of fact for “clearerror,” and questions of discretion for “abuse of discretion.” Despite the apparent simplicity of the rule, its application has been uneven, to state it mildly. Scholars have written extensively about the application of the rule, but have yet to consider whether the traditional rule of “deference” should be altered when the appellate court is a specialized court.... Read more about SPECIALIZED STANDARDS OF REVIEW