“Chutzpah: Politics and the Health Care Cases.” Attorney Robert N. Weiner has this guest blog post (link corrected) today at “ACSblog.”

“Detention Provision Is Blocked”: In Thursday’s edition of The New York Times, Charlie Savage will have an article that begins, “The government may not rely on a disputed law enacted last year to hold people in indefinite military detention on suspicion that they ‘substantially supported’ Al Qaeda or its allies — at least if they had no connection to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a federal judge said on Wednesday.”

“Feds Urging Appeals Court to Reinstate $1.5 Million File-Sharing Verdict”: David Kravets has this post at Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog.

“DOMA gay benefits ban falls again”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

“New AMA chief: No chaos with court’s health ruling.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Americans should not expect chaos if the U.S. Supreme Court rejects all or part of the sweeping health care law, the incoming president of the nation’s largest physicians group said Wednesday.”

“Doc-lawyer will intervene in Idaho fetal pain case”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A southeastern Idaho lawyer who is also a doctor will be allowed to intervene in a legal challenge to the state’s so-called fetal pain abortion law in a case that could set national precedent.”

“Judge Ties Up Online Sex-Advertising Law”: At Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog, David Kravets has a post that begins, “A federal judge pre-emptively blocked a landmark state law that would have required online companies to verify the ages of people placing ads offering ‘adult services,’ which range from thinly-veiled ads for prostitution, as well as legal, but kinky services.”

“Gaming Out Gay Marriage’s Path to the Supreme Court”: Steve Sanders has this essay at The Huffington Post.

“From Off the Wall to On the Wall: How the Mandate Challenge Went Mainstream; How did a legal argument that most scholars thought was crazy get taken so seriously so quickly? The Republican Party’s support played a crucial role.” Law professor Jack M. Balkin has this essay online at The Atlantic.

“Court denies Loughner’s request for rehearing”: The Associated Press has this report on an order denying rehearing en banc that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued yesterday.

“Bill Clinton reveals for the first time that former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo rejected Supreme Court nomination; Former President drops bombshell during fund-raiser at Waldorf-Astoria”: The New York Daily News has this report.

“North Carolina, Meet Citizens United”: Today’s edition of The New York Times contains an editorial that begins, “The North Carolina Judicial Coalition is a new tax-exempt organization, known as a super PAC, supported by wealthy conservative Republicans who are determined to make this year’s race for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court ideological and expensive.”

“Education Appeals Await as U.S. Supreme Court Term Nears Finish”: Mark Walsh has this post at the “School Law” blog of Education Week.

“Proposition 8 moves closer to Supreme Court”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

In today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times, Maura Dolan reports that “Proposition 8 same-sex marriage fight headed to U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals votes not to review smaller panel’s overturning of California’s gay marriage ban; High court is expected to review Prop. 8 this fall.”

The Press-Enterprise of Riverside, California has a report headlined “PROP. 8: Court of appeals won’t rehear gay marriage arguments.”

Ginny LaRoe of The Recorder reports that “9th Circuit Won’t Rehear Prop 8 Case.”

Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor has an article headlined “Prop. 8: appeals courts set stage for Supreme Court review of gay marriage; The Ninth Circuit on Tuesday declined to reexamine a ruling overturning California’s Prop. 8 gay marriage ban as unconstitutional; The decision sets the stage for a Supreme Court showdown.”

And at Politico.com, Josh Gerstein reports that “Prop 8 case not reconsidered by California appeals court.”

“What’s the Best Road to Equal Marriage Rights? Superlawyers David Boies and Ted Olson like all the roads that lead to the Supreme Court.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“GOP urges court to uphold Defense of Marriage Act”: In today’s edition of The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “Denying federal benefits to same-sex spouses is a rational way to preserve federal funds, promote responsible child-rearing and leave the volatile marriage debate to the states, House Republicans maintain in arguments to a federal appeals court in San Francisco.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has posted online at this link the Brief of Intervenor-Appellant Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the United States House of Representatives.

“Governor nominates Pollack to Hawaii Supreme Court”: Ken Kobayashi of The Honolulu Star-Advertiser has this report.

“Gov. Scott requests review of 3 justices’ actions”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Three veteran Florida Supreme Court justices could possibly face a criminal investigation and legal action over the handling of their campaigns to remain on the bench.”

“Why Obama Strikes Out In Court: Three unanimous Supreme Court decisions against the government suggest that the administration has a faulty view of federal power.” Ilya Shapiro has this op-ed today in The Wall Street Journal.

“Melvin sister to be fired, 8 aides to be furloughed”: Today’s edition of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review contains an article that begins, “Nine state Supreme Court employees who worked in suspended Justice Joan Orie Melvin’s Downtown office soon will be out of a job while she fights criminal corruption charges, court officials said Tuesday.”

And yesterday’s edition of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette contained a lengthy, related article headlined “Orie fall from grace rapid, spectacular.”