“Mack loses control of family trust”: The Reno Gazette-Journal today contains an article that begins, “A family trust that Darren Mack set up for his three children was taken out of his control and placed under the administration of a man who helped murder victim Charla Mack try to get Mack’s assets during their divorce, according to a state judge’s order. Mack’s lawyer, Mark Wray, immediately appealed the ruling to the Nevada Supreme Court.”

And in somewhat related news, The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that “Reid makes courthouse security priority after Reno sniper attack.”

“Abortion loophole or legal prudence? The mental-health exception to limits on late-term procedures was key to Kline’s case.” The Kansas City Star today contains an article that begins, “Sometime in August 2003, a 22-year-old woman had an abortion in Wichita. She was seven months pregnant. Her name and her story are unknown. But the reason her doctor gave to justify the late-term abortion is now at the center of Kansas’ abortion debate. That reason: The woman was seriously depressed.”

“Rell says she will name a new chief justice nominee soon”: The AP provides this report from Connecticut.

“Abortion doctor continues his fight”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “Abortion doctor LeRoy Carhart is entrenched in what he calls a ‘never-ending battle’ – one that anti-abortion advocates have strongly urged him to surrender.”

“Lawyer suited for tough inquiries to replace Harriet Miers; Democrats’ rise created need to replace White House counsel, officials say”: This article will appear Sunday in The Austin American-Statesman.

“Retardation appeals in limbo, years after ruling”: The Houston Chronicle today contains an article that begins, “Five years after the U.S. Supreme Court banned the execution of mentally retarded killers, 16 death row inmates from Harris County are still waiting to have their appeals on the issue resolved.”

“ACLU wants access to sealed wiretap filings; The government calls the group’s NSA case moot; Papers backing that motion are secret”: Henry Weinstein has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

And The New York Times today contains a related editorial entitled “The Bait-and-Switch White House.”

“Arar given $11.5-million in compensation; Canadian engineer tortured in Syria laments life he lost four long years ago”: This article appears today in The Toronto Globe and Mail.

The New York Times reports today that “Canada to Pay $9.75 Million to Man Tortured in Syria.”

The Washington Post reports that “Tortured Man Gets Apology From Canada.”

And The Los Angeles Times reports that “Canada to compensate torture victim; Faulty intelligence labeled him a terrorism suspect; The U.S. deported him to Syria, where he was abused.”

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting: Sunday’s newspaper will contain an article headlined “Intern helped win life-changing case” that begins, “Cliff Williams was as green as they come: 27 years old. Third-year law student. Intern. But there he stood that day, before a real judge, about to argue a motion in a real case. And not just any case. The case of a man he believed to be innocent. A man who had already served nearly 22 years of a 45-year sentence. His hands trembled. He was afraid his voice would quaver. But Williams managed that day to successfully argue for post-conviction DNA testing that would exonerate Willie O. ‘Pete’ Williams. It was perhaps a defining moment in a career that hasn’t even started. Pete Williams became a free man last week. Cliff Williams, who’s not related to his client, became intern extraordinare.”

And today’s newspaper contains an article headlined “Location secrecy in murder trial may be a Ga. first” that begins, “A Forsyth County judge may be setting a precedent in Georgia by ordering that the location of Lynn Turner’s second murder trial be kept secret until one business day before jury selection. Other high profile cases — including the Fred Tokars murder trial and the murder conspiracy trial of former DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney Dorsey — were moved for pretrial publicity, but had no such restrictions.”

“A parking problem”: The St. Petersburg Times today contains an editorial that begins, “Has it gotten to the point where it needs to be said that a judge who decides disability claims should not park his car in a handicap space using a permit issued to someone else?”

Earlier coverage can be accessed via this link.

“Va. Death Penalty Expansion Approved; Bills Likely to Go To Kaine, a Foe of Capital Punishment”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

“Focus Is on Cheney at Libby Trial”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) featuring Nina Totenberg appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Weekend Edition Saturday.”

“Columbine records may be sealed; Words of killers’ parents could be archived 25 years”: Today’s edition of The Rocky Mountain News contains an article that begins, “A federal judge said Friday he is considering sending depositions of the Columbine High School killers’ parents to a national archive, where they would be kept under seal for at least 25 years. U.S. District Court Judge Lewis T. Babcock’s suggestion angered parents of some victims, who said the depositions, along with other pieces of evidence from the 1999 murders, should be made public.”

And The Denver Post today contains an article headlined “Judge: Seal Columbine depositions; One idea is to lock them in the National Archives for 25 years; Others want access to the statements by the killers’ parents.”

“Porn Filmmaker Finds Out a ‘K’ Can Be Owned”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “The cast was entirely Israeli. The script was entirely in Hebrew. The film was entirely treif. It was pornographic and it carried a kosher label on its cover, which its producer, Oren Cohen, said he thought would help the buzz.”

In other coverage, The Bergen (N.J.) Record reported yesterday that “Kosher symbol on porn DVD hits nerve in Teaneck.”

And TMZ.com recently published a post titled “Rabbi Yells ‘Cut!’ Over Porn Flick.”

House arrest at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey: The Los Angeles Times today contains an article headlined “Not the slammer, not the hoosegow, but a five-star hotel room” that begins, “A businessman sentenced to home detention for conspiring to illegally videotape Michael Jackson is doing his time in an especially sweet home: the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey. Jeffrey Borer, sentenced in October for conspiring to sell a videotape of Jackson in 2003 when the pop singer was facing child molestation charges, has been living at the hotel with his wife. He is paying his debt to society with access to a harbor-side pool and restaurant, two tennis courts and a spa.”

Happy birthday to the Chief Justice of the United States: The Associated Press reports here that today, “John Roberts, chief justice of the United States, is 52.”

“Talk of the Gown: What the Supreme Court justices won’t say speaks volumes.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online today at Slate.

“Thomas recognizes Arnold brothers; Justice singles out Richard, says he had countenance for Supreme Court”: The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette contains this article today.

Update: Some photos of Justice Clarence Thomas’s visit can be accessed here, here, and here.

“Alito gives luncheon taste of his experience; High Court’s newest justice recounts year”: This article appears today in The South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

And The Palm Beach Post reports today that “Alito avoids controversy in West Palm luncheon talk.”