“Convicted Supreme Court justice Orie Melvin files new arguments in appeal”: Brian Bowling of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a news update that begins, “The state violated Joan Orie Melvin’s constitutional rights when it charged her with theft of services for using her staff to perform political work, the convicted former Supreme Court justice argues in federal court documents.”

“Supreme Court must decide the value of a dog; Death of Lola the dachshund leads to thorny legal question”: Bill Rankin of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has this report.

“Heidi Nelson Cruz: A Political Spouse Making Sacrifices and Courting Donors.” Steve Eder and Matt Flegenheimer have this front page article in today’s edition of The New York Times.

“NY man faces case that tests limits of criminal blame”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Senate panel kills bill to decriminalize adultery”: Graham Moomaw of The Richmond Times-Dispatch has a news update that begins, “A proposal to decriminalize adultery in Virginia was killed Monday morning by a state Senate committee.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Virginia panel rejects bill to decriminalize adultery.”

“Short blog posts have their advantages”: Kevin O’Keefe had this post recently at “Real Lawyers Have Blogs.”

Therein, he writes: “Look at one of the most extraordinarily successful law blogs. Pennsylvania Appellate Attorney, Howard Bashman, has been publishing his blog, How Appealing, for almost fourteen years. Each post is two to three lines long documenting a case and result. Bashman’s posts are tad short for my liking . . . .”

In Bashman news from Australia: In recent months, Australia has been derelict in failing to provide any Bashman news. For those who have been yearning for a return of this formerly semi-regular feature, thank you for bearing with me until now.

Today, Australia’s Seven News reports that “Drunk dad abandons son to bash man at train station” (with video).

According to the video report, the attacker’s case is now heading to appeal, making this perhaps the very first Bashman news from Australia to actually contain its own appellate angle.

“Supreme Court keeps protections for Santa Ana sucker fish”: In today’s edition of The Sun of San Bernardino, California, Jim Steinberg has a front page article that begins, “The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand protection of 9,300 acres of critical habitat for the Southern California Santa Ana sucker fish.”

“High court will hear case tied to Mass. clinic death”: In today’s edition of The Boston Globe, Liz Kowalczyk has a front page article that begins, “The Supreme Court has agreed to review a case brought by the parents of a deceased Massachusetts teenager against Universal Health Services, the largest owner of psychiatric hospitals and clinics in the country.”

“Apple v. Samsung: tech powers urge U.S. Supreme Court to take up patent feud.” Howard Mintz of The San Jose Mercury News has this report.

Jeff John Roberts of Fortune reports that “Tech Giants Back Samsung at Supreme Court in Apple Patent Fight.”

And Shara Tibken of c|net reports that “Tech giants, farmers voice support for Samsung in Apple patent spat; Various companies, legal experts and nonprofits argue the high damages allowed in design patent infringement suits hurt everyone from large tech companies to farmers and consumers.”

“Case Could Widen Free-Speech Gap Between Unions and Corporations”: Adam Liptak will have this new installment of his “Sidebar” column in Tuesday’s edition of The New York Times.

“Ohio Supreme Court building needs millions in repairs”: Randy Ludlow of The Columbus Dispatch has an article that begins, “Eleven years after spending $85.6 million to renovate its ornate new home Downtown, the Ohio Supreme Court is spending more than $3 million to replace systems that are failing.”

“N.J. cop demoted as act of political revenge? U.S. Supreme Court wants to know.” Jonathan D. Salant of NJ.com has an article that begins, “The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday will be asked to decide whether former Paterson police officer Jeffrey J. Heffernan was wrongly demoted based on the perception that he was supporting a challenger to the incumbent mayor.”

“New Koch: The billionaire brothers are championing criminal-justice reform; Has their formula changed?” Jane Mayer has this article in the January 25, 2016 issue of The New Yorker.

“How close is too close for judicial bias?” Jessica Parks has this article in today’s edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Last month, an en banc panel of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania evenly divided 4-to-4 as to the judicial recusal issue in this case. Last month’s ruling consisted of an opinion announcing the judgment of the court in part and affirming in part and an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part.

Two of the three newest Pa. Supreme Court justices participated in the en banc Pa. Superior Court ruling — disagreeing on how the recusal issue should be resolved — so if Pennsylvania’s highest court were to agree to review the case, neither of those two judges would be likely to participate in the consideration and resolution of the matter.

“Supreme Court to hear Microsoft Xbox 360 console-defect case; Tens of thousands of gamers complained that the console scratched game discs”: David Kravets of Ars Technica has this report.

“ChIPs Hall of Fame 2015: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.” Last October, the organization ChIPs — which supports, educates, and promotes the advancement, development and retention of women in patent- and intellectual property-related fields — inducted both Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her daughter, law professor Jane C. Ginsburg, into its hall of fame.

In November 2015, Columbia Law School issued a news release titled “The Ginsburgs Are Inducted Into IP Hall of Fame: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’59 and Columbia Law School Professor Jane C. Ginsburg Are Both Recognized for Leading Women into the Field of Intellectual Property Law.” And the remarks of Federal Circuit Judge Pauline Newman at the induction ceremony can be accessed here.

Earlier this month, ChIPs posted online at YouTube two related videos titled “ChIPs Hall of Fame 2015: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg” and “ChIPs Hall of Fame 2015: Professor Jane Ginsburg.”