Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit was listed as the author of a majority opinion issued 11 days after his death, CNBC reports.

The court said the late judge had “fully participated in this case and authored this opinion”.

However, the US Supreme Court said the court erred by counting him as a member of the majority.

In a unanimous judgment, it said: “That practice effectively allowed a deceased judge to exercise the judicial power of the United States after his death. But federal judges are appointed for life, not for eternity.”