“Ruling redefines police pat-downs; U.S. Supreme Court reverses ’07 decision in Arizona case”: This article appears today in The Arizona Republic.

And today in The Arizona Daily Star, Howard Fischer reports that “Passenger pat-down ruled legal; US justices back ’02 search that led to gun arrest here.”

If you are charged with this crime, you shall be guilty of a misdemeanor: A law phrased in those terms does not violate due process because it will not be enforced as written, the Supreme Court of Georgia ruled yesterday in an opinion that you can access here.

In news coverage of the ruling, Bill Rankin of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports today that “Court upholds marijuana law.”

“Supreme Court argument to be first for state’s AG; Justices agree to hear case on police interrogation”: The Maryland Daily Record provides this report.

“Supreme Court to hear Mohawk employee case; Firing, papers led to appeal”: This article appears today in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Robert Barnes of The Washington Post chats about the U.S. Supreme Court, politics, and “two of the smartest guys who watch the court closely.” The transcript of his chat, which occurred earlier today at washingtonpost.com, can be accessed here.

In the February 2009 issue of ABA Journal magazine: David G. Savage will have an article headlined “A Torturous Process: Tort suits prove inadequate to challenge anti-terror policies.”

And John Gibeaut will have an article headlined “Caperton’s Coal: The battle over an Appalachian mine exposes a nasty vein in bench politics.”

“Scalia judges moot court competition”: This article appeared yesterday in The GW Hatchet.

As Orin Kerr noted yesterday evening at “The Volokh Conspiracy,” C-SPAN has posted online the video of the moot court competition.

Serving as judges for the competition’s final round were Justice Antonin Scalia, Ninth Circuit Judge Marsha S. Berzon, and Sixth Circuit Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton.

“4th Amendment ruling could influence First Amendment law”: David L. Hudson Jr. has this essay online at the First Amendment Center.

“‘Skank’ update: hearing on discovery motion ‘adjourned’ until Feb. 23.” Ben Sheffner has this post at his “Copyrights & Campaigns” blog.

“[T]his case presents the novel issue of the extent to which a business employee may have standing to challenge a search of business premises generally.” An opinion that a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued today begins, “We must decide whether corporate executives may challenge a police search of company premises not reserved for the executives’ exclusive use.”

“Cheerleading is a contact sport, Wis. court rules”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “High school cheerleading is a contact sport and therefore its participants cannot be sued for accidentally causing injuries, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in a case being closely watched in the cheerleading world.”

You can access today’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin at this link.

Arkansas inmate of the Wiccan faith loses appeal seeking freer access to tarot cards: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued this ruling today.

The Eighth Circuit thus begins 2009 as a hotbed of Wiccan-related RLUIPA appellate litigation.

“Congress ready to send fair pay bill to Obama”: The Associated Press provides this report.

“Pa. Justices: OK to Execute ‘Mentally Deficient’ People.” Today’s edition of The Legal Intelligencer contains an article that begins, “In a decision that may prove to be a lightning rod in the debate over Pennsylvania’s use of the death penalty, the state Supreme Court has ruled that any criminal defendant with mental impairments, short of being legally defined as ‘mentally retarded,’ can be executed for capital offenses.”

Last Friday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania consists of a majority opinion and a concurring and dissenting opinion.

“Obama Administration Poised To Pick U.S. Attorneys”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

“Moussaoui’s Attorneys Call Guilty Plea Invalid”: Jerry Markon has this article today in The Washington Post.

And today in The Richmond Times-Dispatch, Frank Green reports that “Lawyers say plea was invalid.”

“Supreme Court to rule on lawyer requests; U.S. Supreme Court to rule how long counsel requests lasts”: The Baltimore Sun today contains an article that begins, “The U.S. Supreme Court agreed yesterday to consider how long a criminal suspect’s request for counsel during questioning can stand after a Maryland court ruled that years could pass.”

“11th Circuit Rejects Flag Pledge Case”: Today in the Fulton County Daily Report, Jonathan Ringel has an article that begins, “The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday said it would not revisit last year’s ruling that upheld a Florida school policy requiring students to get a parent’s permission to avoid having to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Eleventh Circuit order appears at this link.

“Supreme Court rejects suit in Long Beach case; The decision, in a case where a man was wrongfully convicted of murder, broadens protections for district attorneys and other chief prosecutors”: David G. Savage has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Reclaiming Justice: Barack Obama’s key legal picks signal a return to balance between security and the rule of law.” This editorial appears today in The Washington Post.

“Law school clinic wins case”: The Yale Daily News today contains an article that begins, “Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court handed the Yale Law School’s Supreme Court Clinic its first victory.”

“Afghan Prison Poses Problem in Overhaul of Detainee Policy”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

The Washington Post reports today that “E.U. Willing to Help U.S. on Guantanamo; But Many Nations Are Wary About Taking Inmates.” In addition, columnist Richard Cohen has an op-ed entitled “Torture? Prosecute Us, Too.”

Yesterday’s broadcast of NPR’s “Talk of the Nation” contained an audio segment entitled “Where Will The Detainees Go After Guantanamo?”

Today in The Wall Street Journal, Bret Stephens has an op-ed entitled “Guantanamo Is No Blot on U.S. Honor: The president still hasn’t said where to hold the worst of the worst.”

And in The Boston Globe, Eric Fehrnstrom has an op-ed entitled “Guantanamo: A symbol of US resolve.”

The Hartford Courant is reporting: Today’s newspaper contains articles headlined “Starvation: Do Inmates Have The Right?“; “Judge Uses Vulgar Language As She Is Charged“; and “Teen Withdraws Motion Tied To Expulsion In Suit Vs. Miss Porter’s School.”

“Court Expands Ability to Sue in Sexual Harassment Investigations”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

Today in The Washington Post, Robert Barnes reports that “Justices Back Worker In Retaliation Case; Narrow View of Bias Law Rejected.”

In The Los Angeles Times, David G. Savage reports that “Supreme Court rules for worker in retaliation lawsuit; A schools employee was fired after answering questions in an internal sexual harassment investigation of supervisor; Justices said a lower court’s ruling that only those filing complaints were protect.”

In The Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin reports that “Justices Strengthen Position of Workers Who Oppose Bias.”

Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor reports that “In boost for workers, high court affirms shield from employer retaliation; The justices rule that civil rights law protects a woman who was fired after answering questions in a harassment probe.”

law.com’s Tony Mauro reports that “Supreme Court Justices Unanimous in Five Opinions.”

And yesterday evening’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered” contained an audio segment entitled “Court Rules For Worker In Retaliation Case” (RealPlayer required) featuring Nina Totenberg.

“A Win for Free Speech Online”: The New York Times today contains an editorial that begins, “A 10-year campaign to censor the Internet ended last week when the Supreme Court refused to step in and save the Child Online Protection Act. Everyone can agree on the need to protect children from sexually explicit online material, but this misguided law tried to do it in ways that infringed on too much constitutionally protected free speech.”

“SJC to hear appeal by ex-priest in abuse case; Lawyers challenge accuser’s memory”: The Boston Globe contains this article today.

“Judge chastises federal attorney; Says prosecutor failed to disclose crucial evidence”: The Boston Globe today contains an article that begins, “The chief judge of the US District Court in Massachusetts is threatening to sanction a federal prosecutor for what he characterized as the latest ‘egregious failure’ of the US attorney’s office to disclose evidence that could have helped clear a defendant.”

“When Did Barack Obama Officially Become Eligible to Act as President? What the Oath ‘Do-Over’ Reveals About Legal Interpretation.” Michael C. Dorf has this essay online at FindLaw.

And on last night’s broadcast of the CBS program “Late Show with David Letterman,” the host began his opening monologue by joking that “It’s so cold outside that Justice Roberts screwed up while ordering chowder.” Letterman also discussed the oath gaffe with his first guest, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams.