“Nichols was calm, armed and scary, carjack victims say”: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution provides a news update that begins, “Five carjacking victims testified Wednesday how Brian Nichols skipped from parking deck to parking deck, taking vehicles at gunpoint, staying one step ahead of the police as he fled the March 2005 courthouse shootings.”

The Associated Press is reporting: An article headined “Palin, in interview, casts herself as a federalist” begins, “When it comes to the Supreme Court, only one case comes to Sarah Palin’s mind: Roe v. Wade.”

And in other news, Hope Yen reports that “Legal troubles remain for reporter on anthrax case.”

Philadelphia Phillies 3, Milwaukee Brewers 1: My son and I were at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia this afternoon for game one of this National League Division Series and got to see the Phillies win the team’s first playoff game since 1993. It was a very exciting game, and the crowd was totally supportive of the home team.

You can view the box score at this link, while wraps can be accessed here and here.

“Court modifies Kennedy death penalty opinion, grants 10 new cases”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

You can access today’s Order List of the U.S. Supreme Court at this link.

In early coverage, The Associated Press reports that “High court rebuffs Louisiana in child rape case” and “Top court will review who pays for Superfund site.”

And Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News reports that “Shell Gets U.S. High Court Hearing on Cleanup Suits.”

“Obama, McCain May Use ’10th Justice’ to Influence Supreme Court”: Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News today has an article that begins, “The next U.S. president won’t have to wait for a vacancy to start influencing the Supreme Court. The high court’s term, which starts next week, underscores the president’s power to shape the court’s rulings through his top courtroom lawyer, the solicitor general.”

Programming note: Today and tomorrow, I’ll be delivering appellate oral arguments in two separate cases pending before the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

In between, this afternoon I’ll be attending along with my son game one of the National League Division Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Milwaukee Brewers. Go Phils!

As a result, additional posts may not appear here until later today.

“Supreme Court Stays Above Economic Fray — for Now”: law.com’s Tony Mauro provides this report.