“Chafee, R.I. inmate ask appeals court to delay order”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Governor Lincoln Chafee and defense attorneys asked an appeals court in Boston Friday to delay issuing an order in a tug-of-war over a Rhode Island inmate facing a possible death-penalty prosecution so that the Supreme Court can decide whether to review the case.”

And yesterday, The Providence Journal had news updates headlined “RI Gov. Chafee asks appeals court not to act in Pleau case, to allow Supreme Court appeal” and “Federal prosecutors urge appeals court to move ahead with Pleau case.” The newspaper has posted online the motion for stay of mandate and the federal government’s answer in opposition.

“Healthcare case capped a rough year for solicitor general; Arguing for the Obama administration, Donald Verrilli Jr. took on his highest-stakes case yet in the Supreme Court, and seemed repeatedly caught off guard”: David G. Savage has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Bill aimed at stopping sharia law passes Senate”: Today’s edition of The Topeka Capital-Journal contains an article that begins, “The Senate passed a bill dubbed ‘American law for American courts’ Friday that would prevent any court in the state from making a ruling based on foreign or religious laws that run counter to the U.S. or Kansas Constitutions.”

The Wichita Eagle reports today that “Senate OKs bill to ban foreign laws.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Kansas lawmakers pass anti-Islamic law measure.”