Law360, New York (May 3, 2016, 11:29 AM EDT) -- Judge Cynthia A. Bashant of the Southern District of California in San Diego and Judge Jon D. Levy of the District of Maine in Portland were both appointed by President Obama in 2014 and confirmed at the same time. They preside literally on opposite sides of the country, but have kept in touch exchanging ideas on judging, including sentencing. Judge Bashant was formerly a state court judge who handled both juvenile and criminal matters, and Judge Levy was formerly a state trial judge and an associate justice on the Supreme Court of Maine. Lawyers consistently describe both as "right down the middle" at sentencing. Like many judges, these two jurists come out on bench with tentative guideline rulings and sentences in mind....