How Appealing



Monday, June 1, 2009

“At Yale, Sotomayor was sharp but not outspoken; In interviews, classmates say Sotomayor pick would have surprised them 30 years ago”: The Yale Daily News has this article online at its web site.

Posted at 10:35 PM by Howard Bashman



“The Robert Wone Killing Remains ‘a Head-Scratcher’; Alleging Coverup by Housemates, D.C. Police Probe Theory of Bizarre Attack in Dupont Circle House”: This article — part two of a two-part series — will appear Tuesday in The Washington Post.

Posted at 10:30 PM by Howard Bashman



“Appeals court upholds dismissal of suit against Salt Lake County employees”: Pamela Manson of The Salt Lake Tribune has a news update that begins, “The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed against two Salt Lake County employees by animal-rights activists.”

According to today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, the plaintiffs’ lawsuit “alleged violations of their First Amendment rights to free speech and to peaceably assemble after the individual plaintiffs attempted to protest a circus in South Jordan, Utah.”

Posted at 10:25 PM by Howard Bashman



“Judges: No Bible at Pa. kindergarten show and tell.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A kindergartner’s mother cannot read Scripture during show and tell, even if the Bible is the boy’s favorite book, a U.S. appeals court said Monday in the latest challenge over religion in public schools.”

And at “The School Law Blog” of Education Week, Mark Walsh has a post titled “Court Backs District’s Refusal to Let Parent Read Bible.”

You can access today’s ruling of a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at this link.

Posted at 10:17 PM by Howard Bashman



“Guantanamo detainee tries to fire U.S. lawyers, fails”: Carol Rosenberg of The Miami Herald has a news update that begins, “Uncertainty clouded a bid to stage the first military commissions hearing of the Obama administration Monday as accused Canadian war criminal Omar Khadr protested disarray among his Pentagon-paid defense team.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Canadian at Guantanamo asks to dismiss US lawyers.”

Posted at 12:18 PM by Howard Bashman



Available online from National Public Radio: Today’s broadcast of “Morning Edition” contained audio segments entitled “GOP Senators Weigh Sotomayor Criticism“; “Sotomayor’s Second Amendment Record“; and “High Court May Review Personal Weapons Ruling.”

Yesterday’s broadcast of “Weekend Edition Sunday” contained audio segments entitled “‘Blog Entry’ Sparks Furor Over Sotomayor” and “The Straight Story On Sotomayor.”

This past Saturday’s broadcast of “All Things Considered” contained audio segments entitled “Supreme Court Pick Didn’t Come Lightly For Obama” and “The Roots Of Judicial Activism.”

And this past Saturday’s broadcast of “Weekend Edition Saturday” contained audio segments entitled “Sotomayor Nomination Tops Week’s Political News” and “What Storms Lie Ahead For Sotomayor?” (featuring Nina Totenberg).

RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

Posted at 10:45 AM by Howard Bashman



Access online today’s opinion in an argued case and Order List of the Supreme Court of the United States: The Court today issued its ruling in Bobby v. Bies, No. 08-598. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.

The Court also issued a per curiam summary reversal in CSX Transp., Inc. v. Hensley, No. 08-1034. You can access the Court’s ruling at this link. Justices John Paul Stevens and Ginsburg each issued dissenting opinions.

You can access today’s Order List at this link. The Court today granted review in one case and requested the views of the Solicitor General in one case.

At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Court to rule on patent dispute.”

And in early news coverage, The Associated Press reports that “High court rules for Ohio in death penalty case“; “Court to decide whether to limit patents“; “Court won’t hear appeal from illegal gun dealer“; and “Court won’t hear appeal from man convicted of rape.”

Posted at 10:07 AM by Howard Bashman



“Supreme Court ruling weakens the right to counsel: By discarding a 1986 precedent, the court has needlessly weakened the protections of the 6th Amendment.” The Los Angeles Times contains this editorial today.

Posted at 8:40 AM by Howard Bashman



“The Robert Wone Stabbing: Anatomy of a Murder Case; Authorities Think Housemates Killed the Lawyer in a Dupont Circle Home, but Proof Is Elusive.” This article — part one of a two-part series — appears today in The Washington Post.

Posted at 8:14 AM by Howard Bashman



“Firefighter case may keep Sotomayor in hot seat; How she viewed ‘reverse bias’ has critics’ attention”: Joan Biskupic has this article today in USA Today.

Today in The Los Angeles Times, David G. Savage reports that “Sotomayor’s decision on firefighters may be overruled by Supreme Court; The high court nominee was part of a panel that rejected an appeal by white firefighters in New Haven, Conn., who said they were victims of discrimination.” The newspaper also contains an article headlined “GOP senators bring race issue to forefront of Sotomayor nomination; Republican lawmakers, toning down their initial criticisms of Limbaugh and Gingrich, who called the high court pick a racist, now question her ability to make fair decisions.”

The Washington Post contains articles headlined “Sotomayor Was a Passionate but Civil Activist” and “In GOP, Sotomayor’s Resume Takes a Back Seat to Her Words.” In addition, Howard Kurtz’s “Media Notes” column is headlined “Scotusblog: High Court, High Speed, High Profile.”

The New York Times contains an article headlined “Despite Critics, Judge May Find Votes in G.O.P.

The Wall Street Journal contains articles headlined “Senators Preview Stances on Sotomayor” and “Senators Weigh Race Issues With Sotomayor.”

Newsday contains an article headlined “Schumer: Sotomayor nearly ‘filibuster-proof.’

Yesterday in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko had an article headlined “High court justices rarely stray from course.”

Politico.com has an article headlined “New line of attack in Supreme Court fight.” In addition, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) has an essay entitled “Senate determines judges’ thinking.”

The Associated Press has reports headlined “Singlehandedly raising a Supreme Court nominee“; “GOP senators OK with shrill criticism of Sotomayor“; “GOP senator: Sotomayor not better than a white man“; “Leahy: Sotomayor hearings will be on his schedule“; and “McConnell: Need time to review Sotomayor’s record.”

And in The New York Daily News, columnist Mike Lupica has an op-ed entitled “Gingrich and rest of far right are scared of Sotomayor – and who can blame them?

Posted at 8:10 AM by Howard Bashman



“Death Penalty Disgrace”: Today in The New York Times, Bob Barr has an op-ed that begins, “There is no abuse of government power more egregious than executing an innocent man. But that is exactly what may happen if the United States Supreme Court fails to intervene on behalf of Troy Davis.”

Posted at 7:55 AM by Howard Bashman



“Coleman-Franken U.S. Senate election goes before Minnesota Supreme Court today”: This article appears today in The St. Paul Pioneer Press.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports today that “Court to hear Senate recount case today.”

In The New York Times, John Schwartz reports that “Battle for Senate Seat Goes to Minnesota’s Top Court.”

And in The Los Angeles Times, law professor Richard L. Hasen has an op-ed entitled “Get the Al Franken Show on the road: The U.S. Senate should provisionally seat the former performer if the Minnesota Supreme Court rejects rival Norm Coleman’s challenge to the narrow 2008 election results.”

The oral argument is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. central time today. Once the Supreme Court of Minnesota adds this morning’s oral argument to that court’s online archive of oral argument videos, you will be able to access the video via this link.

Posted at 7:50 AM by Howard Bashman