How Appealing



Monday, May 16, 2011

“Why recounts are a vital part of election process”: Joanne Kloppenburg will have this op-ed Tuesday in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Posted at 10:37 PM by Howard Bashman



Access online today’s Order List and rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court in argued cases: You can access today’s Order List at this link. The Court today granted review in one case and called for the views of the Solicitor General’s office in three cases.

In addition, the Court today issued three rulings in argued cases.

1. Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. delivered the opinion of the Court in Kentucky v. King, No. 09-1272. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg issued a dissenting opinion. You can access the oral argument via this link.

2. Justice Stephen G. Breyer delivered the opinion of the Court in CIGNA Corp. v. Amara, No. 09-804. Justice Antonin Scalia issued an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which Justice Clarence Thomas joined. Justice Sonia Sotomayor did not take part in the ruling. You can access the oral argument via this link.

3. And Justice Thomas delivered the opinion of the Court in Schindler Elevator Corp. v. United States ex rel. Kirk, No. 10-188. Justice Ginsburg issued a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Breyer and Sotomayor joined. Justice Kagan did not take part in the ruling. You can access the oral argument via this link.

In early news coverage, The Associated Press reports that “Court says FOIA request cannot be used in lawsuit“; “Court sides with police in warrantless search“; “Supreme Court won’t revive torture lawsuit“; “Court won’t hear challenge to ‘So help me God’“; and “Court nixes case over anonymity in school suit.”

Posted at 10:04 AM by Howard Bashman



“Posts look less likely for 2 judicial nominees; Feingold’s ouster worsens odds for Butler, Nourse confirmations”: Today’s edition of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contains an article that begins, “As federal judges from Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana gather Monday in Milwaukee for the U.S. 7th Circuit bar association’s annual meeting, their ranks remain less than full strength, casualties of partisan congressional politics that have led to growing judicial vacancies nationwide. Two of President Barack Obama’s nominees for posts among the group, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Louis Butler Jr. to fill a district court seat in Madison and law professor Victoria Nourse to fill a seat on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, remain in limbo and appear unlikely to get the jobs.”

Posted at 8:14 AM by Howard Bashman



“Castille reignites dispute over Pennsylvania death-penalty appeals”: In today’s edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Nathan Gorenstein has an article that begins, “After reading the appeal from prison inmate Mark Spotz, incarcerated on four murder convictions, an angry Chief Justice Ronald D. Castille unleashed perhaps the most scathing language ever from the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court.”

Posted at 7:56 AM by Howard Bashman