In U.S. Supreme Court nominee-related commentary: The Rocky Mountain News today contains an editorial entitled “The fishing party.”

In The Palm Beach Post, columnist Stebbins Jefferson has an op-ed entitled “Can Roberts channel O’Connor?”

In The Decatur Daily, James L. Evans has an op-ed entitled “Called to a higher standard.”

And Edwin Meese and Todd Gaziano of The Heritage Foundation have an op-ed entitled “Roberts won’t get to play by the Ginsburg Rules.”

“State panel urged to probe congressman”: The Chicago Tribune today contains an article that begins, “The state agency that oversees lawyer conduct in Wisconsin has been asked to investigate Rep. James Sensenbrenner for sending a private letter to the U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago demanding a longer prison sentence for a drug courier.” The blog “Sentencing Law and Policy” says here that it has received and is posting online a copy of the letter.

“John Roberts’s Other Papers: Portrait of the judge as an undergraduate.” Matthew Continetti will have this essay in the August 8, 2005 issue of The Weekly Standard.

In Sunday’s issue of The New York Times Magazine: An interview with U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) will bear the headline “Judicial Opinion.”

And William Safire’s “On Language” column will appear under the heading “Desecration.”

“In courtroom, high-tech can be high risk; Critics say the increased use of machines instead of court reporters places a higher priority on cost-cutting than fairness”: This article appears today in The St. Petersburg Times.

“As Clerk for Rehnquist, Nominee Stood Out for Conservative Rigor”: Adam Liptak and Todd S. Purdum will have this article Sunday in The New York Times.

“Bad News”: This lengthy essay by Seventh Circuit Judge Richard A. Posner begins on the cover of tomorrow’s issue of The New York Times Sunday Book Review. In his essay, Judge Posner addresses among other things the interplay between the news media and blogs.

“U.S. Judge Voids Portion of Patriot Act as Illegally Vague; The jurist says wording on ‘expert advice’ and ‘training’ is imprecise; She upholds a broader ban on material support for terrorist groups”: David Rosenzweig has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Ruling Sets Off Tug of War Over Private Property”: The New York Times contains this front page article today.

“After Dispute, Judge’s Confirmation Hearings Set to Start Sept. 6”: This article appears today in The New York Times, along with articles headlined “White House Memos Offer Opinions on Supreme Court” and “Roberts Nomination Raises the Issue of the Role of Religious Faith in Public Life.”

In The Los Angeles Times, Maura Reynolds and David G. Savage report that “Roberts’ HearingsSet to Start Sept. 6; As expected, Democrats formally request memos and court filings that the Supreme Court nominee wrote for the solicitor general’s office.”

The Washington Times reports that “Roberts’ Senate hearing set as lawmakers scan records.” And Terence P. Jeffrey has an op-ed entitled “Durbin evolution on decency.”

The Manchester Union Leader reports that “Edwards tells NH he has ‘serious questions’ about Roberts.”

The Arkansas News Bureau reports that “Pryor meets with Supreme Court nominee.”

The Kennebec (Me.) Journal reports that “GOP rallies for Roberts’ confirmation.”

The Colorado Springs Gazette reports that “GOP head asks Springs to help in Roberts vote.”

And one week ago, The Rocky Mountain News published an article headlined “Dobson keeps focus on the fight; Champion of Christian right sets his sights, political clout on battle over courts.”

“Voter registrations of judge, spouse alleged improper”: The Seattle Times today contains an article that begins, “The Evergreen Freedom Foundation has challenged the voter registrations of 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Betty Fletcher and her husband, Robert Fletcher.”

“Remington native first solicitor general”: The Journal and Courier of Remington, Indiana yesterday contained an article that begins, “A Remington native has been chosen Indiana’s first solicitor general, given the task of handling legal cases that pose constitutional challenges to the state. Currently special counsel in the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, Thomas Fisher was named Thursday as solicitor general by Attorney General Steve Carter.”

Fisher, of course, is a longtime reader of “How Appealing” and conducted the interview I republished in October 2004 under the heading “23 Questions for Seventh Circuit Judge Diane S. Sykes.”

Available online from law.com: Tony Mauro reports on “The Year Roberts Had Rehnquist’s Ear.”

An article is headlined “Mass. Judge: Denying Jurors a Smoke Doesn’t Change Verdict.”

And in news from California, “Murder Case to Be Retried Over Jury Trip.”