“Impressions of the Bullcoming argument”: Law professor Richard D. Friedman has this post at “The Confrontation Blog.”

“SD governor says he’ll likely sign abortion bill”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “South Dakota’s governor said Thursday that he’ll likely sign off on new abortion guidelines that would be some of the strictest in the country, requiring women to wait 72 hours before they could go through with the procedure and to submit to counseling about why they shouldn’t.”

And The Argus Leader of Sioux Falls, South Dakota has a news update headlined “Gov. Daugaard on abortion bill: ‘I’m pro-life, inclined to sign it.’”

“Court hears challenge to Madoff loss calculations”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal appeals panel reviewing a compensation plan for former clients of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff cast doubt on claims by the embattled owners of the New York Mets and other investors that they have a right to keep millions of dollars of fictitious profits.”

“Judge in Mets kosher hot dog case recuses himself for fan cap”: Today’s edition of The New York Daily News contains an article that begins, “A federal judge overseeing a kosher food vendor’s lawsuit against the Mets recused himself from the case Tuesday apparently because the plaintiff’s lawyer spotted him wearing a Mets hat outside the courthouse.”

“Altered documents lead Orie judge to declare mistrial”: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a news update that begins, “An Allegheny County judge declared a mistrial in state Sen. Jane Orie’s corruption case after prosecutors accused the defense of submitting fraudulent documents during the trial.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a news update headlined “Mistrial declared in Orie case.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Pa. judge declares mistrial over altered documents.”

“Ex-Texas cheerleader takes appeal to Supreme Court”: David L. Hudson Jr. has this essay online at the First Amendment Center.

“9th Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Holcomb Hall dies”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

“Justices Rule for Protesters at Military Funerals”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times. The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Even Hurtful Speech.”

In today’s edition of The Washington Post, Robert Barnes reports that “Supreme Court rules First Amendment protects church’s right to picket funerals.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “The right to even ugly free speech.”

David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times reports that “Supreme Court sides with churchgoers who picketed military funeral; The justices say members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas have the right to carry anti-gay and other signs at U.S. troops’ funerals, however offensive their message may be considered.”

Joan Biskupic and Kevin Johnson of USA Today report that “Westboro free-speech ruling has its limits.”

The Washington Times reports that “Supreme Court upholds protests at military funerals as free speech.”

The York (Pa.) Daily Record contains articles headlined “Albert Snyder rips Supreme Court’s decision upholding Westboro funeral protest; The court, in an 8-1 ruling, said the First Amendment protected Westboro’s speech at Marine’s funeral; Snyder, the Marine’s father, said the justices lacked common sense“; “From some, a grudging acceptance of Supreme Court’s decision in Snyder v. Phelps; Rep. Todd Platts, however, criticized the court’s ruling that Westboro Baptist Church’s speech was protected by the First Amendment“; and “Alito says majority erred in Westboro church ruling; Justice holds allowing ‘the brutalization of innocent victims’ is not necessary to protect free speech.”

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that “Father of fallen Marine upset with court’s ruling; Others put 8-1 U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in perspective.”

The Wichita Eagle reports that “Ruling dismays vets’ supporters, Kan. lawmakers.”

The Kansas City Star reports that “Justices uphold Topeka church’s right to picket funerals.”

The Des Moines Register reports that “Supreme Court ruling won’t affect Iowa law on protests at military funerals.”

And The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “Military funeral pickets cleared by Supreme Court.”

“Inmates’ rehab gains influence in Supreme Court decision favoring Iowan”: This article appears today in The Des Moines Register.

“Will Senate ever vote on Goodwin Liu?” Politico.com has this report.

“Orie jury starts deliberating”: This article appears today in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

And The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports today that “Jurors begin deliberations on Orie.”

“Defense Attorney: Witnesses Wary Of Testifying In 2nd Cheshire Trial.” Today’s edition of The Hartford Courant contains an article that begins, “Defense attorneys for Joshua Komisarjevsky say the widespread publicity surrounding the trial of the first man charged in the 2007 Cheshire triple killings has caused some witnesses to think twice about testifying at their client’s upcoming trial.”

And The Hartford Courant reports today that “Komisarjevsky lawyers to call up to 58 witnesses during trial.”