“A life cut short: A reporter remembers a classmate who became another victim of violence against lawyers.” Jenna Greene will have this article in next Monday’s edition of The National Law Journal.

“Lawyers Debate Meaning of ‘Abstract’ in Federal Circuit Patent Case”: Matthew Huisman has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.” The audio of today’s en banc oral argument at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit should soon be available via this link.

“Cruz Digs for Judicial Nominees’ Views”: Todd Ruger has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Court tosses efficiency standard for decorative fireplaces”: Jeremy P. Jacobs of Greenwire has this report on a ruling that a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued today.

“Obama is Wrapping Himself in the Constitution. Finally.” Simon Lazarus has this essay online at The New Republic.

“New York strip club to take tax case to Supreme Court”: Reuters has a report that begins, “A New York strip club that lost a bid to avoid paying taxes on money earned from lap dances is taking its case to the U.S. Supreme Court, the club’s attorney said.”

My earlier coverage of the case can be accessed here.

Divided Third Circuit panel yesterday denied injunction pending appeal against Obamacare’s contraception coverage rules: I have posted at this link the order that a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued yesterday. Each of the three judges on the panel wrote separately.

My earlier coverage of the trial court’s ruling can be accessed here.

Thanks much to the reader who sent along a copy of yesterday’s Third Circuit order.

“Case overturned against crack-carrying man who told cop off”: Today’s edition of The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle contains an article that begins, “The F-word isn’t always a fighting word, and carrying copious amounts of crack cocaine isn’t always a crime. So says the state’s highest court, which ruled Thursday that a Rochester man should never have been charged with disorderly conduct for uttering the four-letter profanity at police.”

And The Associated Press reports that “NY court dismisses charge for swearing at officer.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the New York State Court of Appeals — that state’s highest court — at this link.

“The inside story of Aaron Swartz’s campaign to liberate court filings; And how his allies are trying to finish the job by tearing down a big paywall”: Timothy B. Lee has this report online today at Ars Technica.

Terry Baynes of Reuters is reporting: She has articles headlined “Exemptions to birth control mandate unlikely to defuse lawsuits” and “The key healthcare cases of 2013: Where they stand.”

“Voting Rights Act at Risk?” Amanda Becker had this cover story recently in CQ Weekly.

“Federal Circuit to hear high-profile patent eligibility case”: Erin Geiger Smith of Reuters has this report.

“To go or not to go: Supreme Court at the State of the Union”: Bill Mears of CNN.com has this report today.

“How the Supreme Court Could Scuttle Critical Fair Housing Rule”: Nikole Hannah-Jones has this article online today at ProPublica.

“Wisconsin Supreme Court candidates mix it up during first joint forum”: Bruce Vielmetti has this article today in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

And The Associated Press reports that “Civility a factor in Wis. Supreme Court election.”

“Prosecution over in Justice Melvin corruption case”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The prosecution rested in the corruption trial of suspended state Supreme Court Justice Joan Orie Melvin and her aide and sister, Janine Orie, after an accountant testified Thursday that illegal campaign work allegedly done for Melvin by state-paid employees had cheated taxpayers out of more than $33,000.”

In today’s edition of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Paula Reed Ward has an article headlined “Accountant: Campaign work cost taxpayers $33,475.”

And today’s edition of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review contains an article headlined “Taxpayers paid $33,475 for staffers to work on Melvin’s campaigns, accountant testifies.”

“Following Aaron Swartz’s suicide, MIT network attacked three times”: The Boston Globe has this report. A related news release from MIT can be accessed here.

Main Justice reports that “Aaron Swartz’s Partner Makes Appeal for ‘Fire Heymann’ Signatures.”

National Journal reports that “The Petition to Fire Aaron Swartz’s Lawyer Is Almost Complete.”

Politico.com has a report headlined “After activist Aaron Swartz’s death, a tough slog for Aaron’s Law.”

Boston Globe columnist Joan Vennochi has an essay titled “The fallout for Carmen Ortiz.”

At her “Wired State” blog, Catherine Fitzpatrick has a post titled “Definitive — and Not Surprisingly, Supportive — Slate Piece on Swartz.”

And at his “Simple Justice” blog, Scott H. Greenfield has a post titled “Law, Integrity and Prestige Whoring.”

“As Gun Debate Grows, Second Amendment Champion Gura Girds for Battles Ahead”: The Am Law Daily has this report.

“California Supreme Court alters how bias cases will be handled; Justices rule even if bias plays a role in worker’s firing, employer will not be liable for back pay if the employee would have been fired for poor performance”: Maura Dolan has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

In today’s edition of The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article headlined “Employers’ liability in bias cases eased.”

The Recorder reports that “Justices Reach Middle Ground in Pregnancy Bias Suit.”

And at her “Trial Insider” blog, Pamela A. MacLean has a post titled “Employers Gain Ground in Job Bias Defenses.”

Associate Justice Goodwin Liu wrote yesterday’s ruling on behalf of a unanimous Supreme Court of California.