“Judge Alito Dissenting”: The Washington Post on Saturday will contain an editorial that concludes, “Judge Alito’s dissents offer much with which we disagree. But they are the work of a serious and scholarly judge whose arguments deserve respect — a respect evident among his colleagues even when their positions differ.”

And also in tomorrow’s newspaper, U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) will have an op-ed entitled “Alito’s Credibility Problem.”

“Fla. Voucher System Struck Down; Court’s Ruling Could Affect Programs in Other States”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

Today in The New York Sun, Josh Gerstein reports that “Florida Decision Traps Students In Failed Schools.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that “School Voucher Program Batted Down in Florida; The statewide system undermines public education, the high court in Tallahassee says.”

USA Today reports that “Fla. school vouchers struck down; Court: Program violates state duty to public system.”

The Miami Herald reports that “Court orders tuition vouchers halted; The Florida Supreme Court tossed out the state’s tuition voucher program that allows public money to go to private schools.”

The St. Petersburg Times reports that “Court throws out vouchers; The state high court says voucher schools are not subject to the same regulations that apply to public schools.”

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that “Gov. Bush vows to revive school vouchers after Fla. Supreme Court kills program.”

The Orlando Sentinel reports that “Florida’s top court bars vouchers for F schools.”

The Tampa Tribune reports that “Court Rejects School Vouchers.”

And The Tallahassee Democrat contains articles headlined “High court stamps out vouchers; Opportunity grants to end” and “Ruling elicits mixed reviews locally.”

“High Court to Consider DNA Innocence Claim; Death Row Prisoner Wants New Trial”: Charles Lane will have this front page article Saturday in The Washington Post.

And in somewhat relatedly, that newspaper tomorrow will also contain an article headlined “Chance for Answer Secured in a Fridge; Scientist Guarded DNA in Va. Case After ’92 Execution.”

Available online from law.com: Tony Mauro provides “A Field Guide to the Alito Confirmation Hearings.”

In other news, “$54.6M Award to Salvadoran Torture Victims Reinstated.”

An article is headlined “2nd Circuit: Police Actions Against Beetle-Collecting Attorney Warranted.”

And in other news, “Federal Judges in Florida Reject Call to End Secret Case Transfers.”

“Prosecutor, Al-Arian attorneys negotiate; Defense attorneys and supporters say the former USF professor and his co-defendant should not be tried again, but the prosecutor hasn’t ruled it out”: The St. Petersburg Times contains this article today.

The Orlando Sentinel reports today that “Al-Arian attorneys in discussions to avoid new trial.”

And The Tampa Tribune reports that “Muslim Leaders Gather To Speak Out On Al-Arian.”

“Janklow to get license; Court rules lawyer may practice again”: This article appears today in The Argus Leader of Sioux Falls. Wednesday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of South Dakota can be accessed here.

“Charities lose sex-lawsuit shield; Codey signs bill allowing legal action against pedophiles’ employers”: The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger contains this article today. Earlier, this related post appeared at “lessig blog.”

“Felony For Refreshing a Web Page?” That’s the title of a discussion thread at Slashdot focusing on this article published yesterday in The Canton Repository.

“Law student can add ‘Legs of a Goddess’ to her resume”: This article (with photos) appeared yesterday in The Rockford (Ill.) Register Star.

My earlier coverage of this matter (in part featuring Justice Stephen G. Breyer, no less) can be accessed here and here.

“Conservative Crackup: The awkward campaign to convince us Sam Alito is funny.” Bruce Reed has this post at Slate’s “The Has-Been.”

“Alito to face bipartisan grilling over executive power, civil liberties”: James Kuhnhenn and Stephen Henderson of Knight Ridder Newspapers provide this report.

The Associated Press reports that “GOP List Includes Alito’s Fellow Jurists.”

And Shannon P. Duffy of The Legal Intelligencer reports that “Alito’s Opponents Stake Out Positions.”

“Report Blames FBI for Ore. Lawyer Arrest”: The Associated Press has this article concerning a report titled “A Review of the FBI’s Handling of the Brandon Mayfield Case,” which the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice issued today.

“Jose Padilla, part II”: David Oscar Markus today observed Jose Padilla’s second court appearance this week, and you can read this report at the “Southern District of Florida Blog.”

“A church-state evaluation of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito”: The Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty issued this statement today (via “Blog from the Capital“).

“What to watch for in the Alito hearing next week”: This post appears today at the National Women’s Law Center’s “Nomination Watch” blog.

“Federalism R.I.P.? Did the Roberts Hearings Junk the Rehnquist Court’s ‘Federalism’ Revolution?” The American Constitution Society for Law and Policy has posted online this white paper by Simon Lazarus.

“O’Connor, Alito Differ in Style, Views”: The AP’s Gina Holland provides this report.

“Court to hear six new cases”: At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has this post. Notably, the U.S. Supreme Court today did not announce a grant of review in the case involving the federal Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.

In other coverage, The Associated Press offers reports headlined “Supreme Court Will Hear Police Search Case” and “High Court Weighs Whether Law Covers Fees.”

“No suspension for dental student; Dean overturns punishment, but offending blogger still will go on probation, do community service”: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today contains an article that begins, “The dean of Marquette University’s School of Dentistry has overturned the suspension of a student who posted negative comments about classmates and professors on a blog, saying the discipline was ‘not appropriate’ for the circumstance, according to Scott Taylor, the student’s lawyer.”

Nearly one month ago, The Marquette Tribune published an article headlined “Bloggers: dental case ‘chilling’ to free speech; Decision may set up ‘slippier slope.’”

Jury convicts itself of crack cocaine possession: The Courier-Post of Camden, New Jersey reports here today that “Jury deliberations in an attempted murder case were suspended Thursday after a juror found what appeared to be crack cocaine with a street value of about $300 hidden in the bloodied, bullet-riddled jacket of the victim.”

“Wonkette” on “the new Wonkette”: Ana Marie Cox offers this explanation.

“Democratic Members Of Senate Judiciary Committee Announce Witness List For Hearings On Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito”: U.S. Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) has issued this news release.

“The Constitution and the Environment: A Report on the Troubling Record of Judge Samuel A. Alito.” Community Rights Counsel has today issued this report.

“Appeals Court Upholds Stewart’s Conviction”: The Associated Press provides this report.

Reuters reports that “US appeals court upholds Martha Stewart conviction.”

And CNNMoney.com reports that “Martha Stewart’s conviction upheld; Appeals court affirms that the style maven lied to investigators about a well-timed sale of stock.”

If all goes as planned: My inaugural weekly column for law.com, bearing the date Monday, January 9, 2006, will be posted at the main law.com web site late tonight. The provisional title for the column’s first installment is “The Sam Alito I know.”

BREAKING NEWS — U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirms Martha Stewart’s criminal conviction: You can access the ruling, by a unanimous three-judge panel, at this link.

Available today from National Review Online: Peter Kirsanow has an essay entitled “Alito Accuracy: He’s exercised respect for the law.”

And Rich Lowry has an essay entitled “Alito’s Bias: The pro-law geek.”

“The Case Against Alito”: This editorial will appear in the January 23, 2006 issue of The Nation.

“Fargo man’s suit against UND clinic gets new life”: The Grand Forks (N.D.) Herald today contains an article that begins, “A lawsuit against a UND law clinic brought by a Fargo Christian activist trying to remove a ‘pagan’ statue from atop the Grand Forks County courthouse should not have been dismissed so quickly, an appeals court ruled Thursday.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s quite interesting Eighth Circuit ruling can be accessed here.

Available online from National Public Radio: Today’s broadcast of “Morning Edition” contained a segment entitled “Maine Senator’s Vote Could Be Key in Alito Nomination.”

And yesterday evening’s broadcast of “All Things Considered” contained a segment entitled “Arkansas Ads Take Up Alito Confirmation Battle.”

RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

“Padilla swoops into Miami court; Terrorism suspect Jose Padilla arrived in Miami-Dade County under heavy escort and was whisked to federal court for his first appearance on conspiracy charges”: The Miami Herald contains this article today.

And The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports today that “Terror suspect Padilla appears in Miami to face federal conspiracy charges.”

“What to Expect From Alito Hearings”: Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press provides this report.

“At Hearings, Democrats Plan to Call Critics of Alito’s Integrity”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

The Boston Globe reports today that “Alito foes consider presidential powers the defining issue.”

Newsday reports that “Alito hearings to focus on presidential power.”

The Washington Times reports that “Alito to be grilled on NSA wiretaps.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Alito fight comes to Phila.; Backers plan a rally; foes present a petition.”

The Philadelphia Daily News reports that “Christian right in N. Philly to boost Alito.”

The Wilmington News Journal reports that “Pros, cons on Alito nomination aired in Del. as hearings near.”

The Rocky Mountain News reports that “Alito debate intensifies; Backers, opponents of Supreme Court nominee speak out.”

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette contains an article headlined “Pryor: ‘Activist’ question is only concern with Alito.”

The Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star reports that “Republicans rally for Alito at Capitol.”

The North Platte Telegraph reports that “Former clerks stump for Alito.”

The Helena Independent Record reports that “Alito associates stump Montana for his confirmation.”

And The News & Advance of Lynchburg, Virginia reports that “Falwell to rally for Alito.”

“Warner Orders DNA Testing In Case of Man Executed in ’92”: The Washington Post contains this front page article today.

And The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports today that “DNA testing ordered in Coleman case.”

“Lawmaker’s goal: Overturn Roe v. Wade; Bill would make abortion illegal in Indiana.” This article appears today in The Indianapolis Star.