“Judge: Military’s ban on gays is unconstitutional.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal judge in Southern California on Thursday declared the U.S. military’s ban on openly gay service members unconstitutional.”

I have posted online at this link today’s ruling of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

“Keller asks new court to dismiss charges”: Chuck Lindell of The Austin American-Statesman has a blog post that begins, “Sharon Keller, presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, has again asked a court to dismiss charges that she violated her judicial duties by closing her court to a late execution-day appeal in 2007.” The newspaper has posted a copy of the filing at this link.

“Ritter picks Monica Marquez for Colorado Supreme Court”: The Denver Post contains this article today.

“Video game industry gears up for battle against California law; The industry is expected to file a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court arguing for overturning a state ban on selling or renting violent video games to minors”: This article will appear Friday in The Los Angeles Times.

“Pa. mayor to take immigration law to Supreme Court”: The Associated Press has this report.

My earlier coverage of today’s Third Circuit ruling appears at this link.

“We hold that tattooing is purely expressive activity fully protected by the First Amendment, and that a total ban on such activity is not a reasonable ‘time, place, or manner’ restriction.” So holds a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in a ruling issued today. Circuit Judge Jay S. Bybee wrote the opinion of the court.

In early news coverage, The Associated Press reports that “Appeals court strikes down tattoo parlor ban.”

“Congress needs to stop stonewalling on federal court vacancies”: This editorial appears today in The Washington Post.

“Appeals court allows stem cell funding for now”: Pete Yost of The Associated Press has this report.

“We hold that to withstand scrutiny under the First Amendment, State Bar expenditures funded by mandatory dues must be germane to the legitimate purposes of the State Bar.” So holds the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in a ruling issued today in a lawsuit against the State Bar of Wisconsin.

“Those uninitiated in the ways of government might suppose a conclusion regarding whether a daughter was or was not also her mother’s spouse, even on these scant facts, to be somewhat strange, and might even suppose that a correct conclusion regarding that proposition is sufficiently self-evident not to have required two years of administrative consideration.” So states an opinion that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued today.

“The dispute we are now called upon to address is one of an increasing number of cases that have arisen from actions that state and local governments have taken because of illegal immigration.” So states today’s lengthy ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Lozano v. City of Hazleton.

The ACLU provides online access via this link to the appellate briefs filed in the case.

Update: In early news coverage, The Associated Press reports that “Appeals court blocks Pa. city’s immigration law.”

“O’Connor: Iowa selection process is fair.” Today’s edition of The Des Moines Register contains an article that begins, “Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor praised Iowa’s merit-selection process for judges Wednesday as the best way to pick fair and impartial jurists.”

“Polyamorists want court to declare group love legal”: This article appears today in The Vancouver Sun.

And The Canadian Press reports that “Multiple-marriage advocate tests the waters on polygamy law; Lawyer seeks B.C. top court’s guidance on how a ban on polygamy would affect polyamorous unions.”

“Banks, Bosses Benefit From U.S. Supreme Court’s Tougher Lawsuit Standards”: Bloomberg News has a report that begins, “Two U.S. Supreme Court decisions making it tougher to pursue lawsuits may have begun to bear fruit for corporations fighting investor claims or employee litigation.”

“Courts pinpoint cops’ GPS use; Privacy right might block technology”: The Washington Times contains this article today.

“At new hall, Scalia stresses teaching; Put students over publishing, he urges MU’s law faculty”: This article appears today in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

And the Marquette University Law School Faculty Blog has this related post.