“‘Twas The Night Before Zeitgeist”: At Corante’s “Between Lawyers” blog, Denise Howell has these wonderful lyrics, which happen to mention that Judge Alex Kozinski yesterday employed a word Denise invented.

“To More Inmates, Life Term Means Dying Behind Bars”: Adam Liptak will have this article Sunday in The New York Times.

“Times Reporter Testifies to Jury in C.I.A. Leak Case”: This article appears today in The New York Times, along with an article headlined “Journalists Fear Impact on Protecting Sources.”

“High Court Set to Tackle Contentious Cases”: Gina Holland of The Associated Press provides this report.

“Minnesota’s top judge will retire”: Yesterday, The Minneapolis Star Tribune published an article that begins, “Kathleen Blatz, who as Minnesota’s first female chief justice guided the state’s courts through growing pains, budget squeezes and a new focus on children, said Thursday that she will step down in January and return to private life.” Yesterday’s newspaper also contained a related article headlined “‘I want to leave this job while I want to stay’” and an editorial entitled “Kathleen Blatz has served this state well.”

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported yesterday that “Chief justice Blatz resigning post; The high court’s first female leader is known for her work to protect children involved in the legal system.”

And today, The Star Tribune reports that “Panel will help fill Minnesota high court seat.”

Soon, instead of dividing 6-5, they’ll be able to divide 8-7: Word from San Francisco is that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has decided to increase the size of its en banc panels from eleven judges to fifteen judges beginning sometime in 2006. Developing….

“Quiz Show: Take the Danny Boggs Trivia Challenge!” This post, containing a link to the latest version of the vaunted clerkship quiz, appears today at “Underneath Their Robes.”

“Salazar warns Bush on next court choice”: This article appears today in The Denver Post.

And The Rocky Mountain News today contains an article headlined “Mulling next justice, Salazar says Bush ‘acts like a king.’”

“Supreme Court embarks on new term with new man at the helm”: Stephen Henderson of Knight Ridder Newspapers has this report.

“2005 Supreme Court opening with new chief; High court to review abortion access, doctor-assisted suicide”: “How Appealing” reader Pete Williams, justice correspondent for NBC news, provides this report.

“Court allows stutter study suits”: This article appears today in The Des Moines Register. You can access yesterday’s 4-3 ruling of the Supreme Court of Iowa at this link.

“Court: Senators couldn’t change murder sentence minimum.” The Lincoln Journal Star today contains this article reporting on yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Nebraska.

“L.A. Judge Avoids Sanctions by Panel; A judicial council does not punish the federal jurist, who improperly took over a bankruptcy case; Two judges file blistering dissents”: Henry Weinstein has this article today in The Los Angeles Times. The article reveals The LATimes to be anti-“blawg.” My earlier coverage of this ruling can be found here, here, and here.