“Judge sees equal rights for gays, lesbians”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “California Chief Justice Ronald George is prepared for the voters’ verdict on his ruling legalizing same-sex marriages – but whatever comes this autumn, he says it won’t be long before most Californians accept equal rights for gays and lesbians as a matter of course. In an interview about the court’s May 15 decision overturning the state’s marriage law, George drew comparisons to another historic 4-3 ruling 60 years earlier that struck down California’s ban on interracial marriage.”

That newspaper today also contains an article headlined “How gays’ attitudes toward marriage evolved.”

“Anthony Kennedy’s international view; The Supreme Court justice’s experience informed his high court opinion on the legal rights of Guantanamo detainees”: David G. Savage has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

The Washington Post today contains articles headlined “Critics Study Possible Limits to Habeas Corpus Ruling; Affirming Right to Challenge Detention Is Considered by Some a Taking of Federal Power” and “McCain Denounces Detainee Ruling; View Aligns Him With President.”

And today in The Miami Herald, Carol Rosenberg has an article headlined “Some war on terror detainees can’t go home; Whatever orders civilian judges might issue under the latest U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the United States is struggling with how to send away some of the detainees at Guantanamo who the Defense Department has already decided to let go.”

“NRA’s political clout is waning; With 2nd Amendment rights expanded and Democrats reluctant to tackle the issue, gun control isn’t the GOP weapon it used to be; The rifle group, in essence, is a victim of its own success”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

“What We Owe Our Young”: Today in The Washington Post, Sandra Day O’Connor and James R. Jones have an op-ed that begins, “Idealistic young voters have turned out in record numbers this year — and not a moment too soon.”

“Court Deems Campaign Finance Rules Too Weak”: The Washington Post contains this article today.

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s D.C. Circuit ruling appears at this link.

“Lawmakers Near Deal On Surveillance Bill; Wiretap Orders Begin Expiring Soon”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

“Out of Bounds: The Bush administration’s executive-privilege claims almost make Watergate look like a fond memory.” David Iglesias has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Courting Conflict”: The New York Times today contains an editorial that begins, “Judges must be impartial — in both appearance and reality — so federal law sensibly requires that they disqualify themselves from cases if they own stock in a company that is a party in the matter. It would be best if all judges ordered their investments to avoid conflicts. But the issue is most acute for Supreme Court justices, who cannot be replaced by another jurist.”

“Kozinski A No-Show”: Today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” a post begins, “Alex Kozinski, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, was supposed to be on hand Saturday for an American Constitution Society panel Rights in Conflict: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Religious Liberty. Perhaps not surprisingly, Kozinski was a no-show.”

If he were at the ACS National Convention today, perhaps Chief Judge Kozinski instead decided to attend a panel titled “The End of Anonymity? Threats to Privacy in a Brave New World,” which was scheduled to occur at precisely the same time as the panel on which Chief Judge Kozinski had been slated to serve.

“Judge Alex Kozinski recuses himself from obscenity trial; The 9th Circuit chief judge makes the decision three days after admitting he had posted sexually explicit photos and videos on his personal website”: Scott Glover has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

The New York Daily News reports today that “Judge Alex Kozinski recuses himself from trial of porn maker Ira Isaacs.”

The News Tribune of Tacoma, Washington contains an editorial entitled “Online is forever, and it’s usually not private.”

And syndicated columnist Susan Estrich has an essay entitled “Good Humor.”

“Risque Images, Music Tied to 9th Circuit Chief’s Site Raises Ethics Questions”: ABA Journal magazine has posted online this lengthy article by Terry Carter.

That publication has also posted online a remarkable letter (back-up copy posted here) dated October 12, 2007 from L. Ralph Mecham, former director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, which accuses Ninth Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski of having committed in 2001 a criminal offense against the federal judiciary’s computer system that constituted a felony under federal law.