“Mortgaging Miers’ Future”: Lyle Denniston has this interesting commentary online at “SCOTUSblog.”

“Intelligent-design trial resumes today; Both sides say the outcome could hinge on whether the Dover school board had a religious agenda in its policy change”: This article appears today in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

And The York Daily Record today contains articles headlined “Professor to testify about ‘wedge’ plan; A philosophy instructor is expected to talk during today’s Dover trial about intelligent design’s links to creationists“; “Students not likely to testify; Though the case is about what kids hear in class, none are expected to testify“; and “Dover considers how to pay; If the district loses the case, the board will gather donations rather than raise taxes.”

In news from Virginia: The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports today that “W&M names O’Connor to post; Retiring justice will succeed Kissinger as college’s chancellor.”

And The Virginia Gazette reports today that “Justice O’Connor named chancellor.”

“New Questions From the Right on Court Pick”: This article will appear Thursday in The New York Times.

The Washington Post on Thursday will contain articles headlined “Conservatives Confront Bush Aides; Anger Over Nomination of Miers Boils Over During Private Meetings” and “The Sales Calls Begin on Capitol Hill, but Some Aren’t Buying.”

And The Dallas Morning News on Thursday will contain articles headlined “Bush buffeted by conservative storm of concern over nominee; Republican senators issue tough questions; Hutchison touts Miers” and “SMU peers remember Miers as ‘all business’; They recall her drive but got little insight on her politics, beliefs.”

“Supreme Court hears arguments over Oregon’s assisted-suicide law”: Stephen Henderson of Knight Ridder Newspapers provides this report.

On this evening’s broadcast of NPR‘s “All Things Considered“: The broadcast contained segments entitled “High Court Reviews Oregon Assisted-Suicide Law” (featuring Nina Totenberg) and “Miers Gets Mixed Reception from Christian Right.” RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

“Gods vs. Geeks: GOP evangelicals fight intellectuals over Harriet Miers.” John Dickerson has this essay online at Slate.

Charles Lane of The Washington Post is reporting: He has news updates headlined “Supreme Court Holds Hearing On Assisted Suicide Case” and “High Court Hears Md. Special-Ed Case.”

“They’re Dying in Oregon: Should the Supreme Court save them?” Emily Bazelon has this Supreme Court dispatch online at Slate.

“Concerns about Miers persist”: Reuters provides this report.

And Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press reports that “Some Unhappy With Bush Pick for High Court.”

“Lott: ‘Not comfortable’ with Miers’ nomination; Miss. Senator says he’ll need more information before supporting nominee.” MSNBC provides this report.

And today’s broadcast of the public radio program “Here and Now” contained a segment entitled “Conservatives Divided over Miers” featuring Pat Buchanan.

“Solomon’s Wisdom Eludes Harvard; The University’s response helps conservatives, not gays”: John Hastrup had this op-ed yesterday in The Harvard Crimson.

“Roberts Questions Lawyers on Oregon’s Assisted-Suicide Law”: David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times provides this news update.

Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times provides a news update headlined “Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Oregon’s Assisted-Suicide Law.”

And law.com’s Tony Mauro provides a news update headlined “High Court Hears Arguments on Assisted Suicide Law; O’Connor’s status on the bench could play a part in the case’s outcome.”

“Miers, Roberts, And Inequality: The new justices will affect the lives of millions of Americans.” Robert B. Reich has this essay online today at The American Prospect.

“Harriet Miers and the Myth that Great Supreme Court Justices Must Be Former Judges from Elite Law Schools”: Law Professor Scott D. Gerber has this essay online today at FindLaw.

“Supreme Court Cronyism: Bush restarts a long and troubled tradition.” David Greenberg has this history lesson essay online at Slate.

“Conservatives wary of Miers”: This article will appear Thursday in The Christian Science Monitor.

No 1996 Dodge Ram pickup truck, no recovery for plaintiff who claims the truck’s airbag failed to deploy in a collision: Today a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued an opinion that concludes: “We cannot imagine a case in which the evidence destroyed would prove more critical. The resulting prejudice to defendant is incurable by any sanction other than dismissal. As such, we reverse the district court’s decision regarding spoliation, and vacate the court’s order with instructions to enter judgment for the defendant.” Today’s ruling overturns a $250,000 personal injury award against Daimler Chrysler Corp.

“Low-IQ killer’s death sentence overturned for third time”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “Convicted killer Johnny Paul Penry, whose case helped spark national debate over whether mentally impaired inmates could be executed, had his death sentence overturned today for the third time.” You can access today’s majority opinion of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, that State’s highest court in criminal matters, at this link, while dissenting opinions can be accessed here and here.

“Property grabs and the Gulf; Local governments will likely use eminent domain to rebuild; who will that help?” CNN/Money provides this report.

On today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Day to Day“: The broadcast contained segments entitled “Slate’s Jurisprudence: Arguing Assisted Suicide” (featuring Emily Bazelon) and “A Personal Plea for the Right to Assisted Suicide.” RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

“Top court seems closely divided on suicide law”: Reuters provides this report.

Gina Holland of The Associated Press reports that “High Court Weighs in on Assisted Suicide.”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Close division on ‘death with dignity.’”

“Nominee Has Long Backed Legal Services; Improving Access To Justice Is Issue Close to Her Heart”: Lawrence Hurley has this article today in The Daily Journal of California.

“Mrs. Smith goes to Washington: Clothes that do a girl justice.” The New York Daily News today contains an article that begins, “Goodbye, stripper heels, hello sensible shoes! With the nation’s attention focused on the Supreme Court this week, we can’t help but notice that Anna Nicole Smith, whose case is due to be heard by the venerable panel early next year, just doesn’t, um, fit in.”

“Bush defends court nominee; Despite assurances, both sides press for more information”: This article appears today in The Baltimore Sun, along with an article headlined “Faith seen as guiding force in Miers’ life; But little indication how it might color opinions.”

Newsday today contains articles headlined “Bush: She’s one of us; Bush responds to conservatives bewildered by his naming of Miers as court nominee” and “Religion played a role in her swing to the right.”

The San Antonio Express-News reports that “Bush reaches out to soothe both left and right.”

Bob Egelko of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that “Miers interned with Melvin Belli but returned to Dallas.”

In related coverage, The San Francisco Examiner contains an essay by P.J. Corkery entitled “Harriet Miers’ Barbary Coast days.”

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that “Hatch says private-sector past of Miers would be a plus.”

The Deseret Morning News reports that “Miers nomination hailed; Utah’s chief justice says it could help break female stereotypes.”

The Kansas City Star reports that “Brownback hopes talk with Miers will ease doubts.”

The AP is reporting: Now available online are articles headlined “Miers’ Views, Actions Draw More Scrutiny“; “Some Groups Not Happy With Top Court Nod“; and “Miers Helped Lead Texas Law Firm.”

“High Court Weighs in on Assisted Suicide”: Gina Holland of The Associated Press provides this early report on today’s oral argument.

On today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition“: The broadcast contained segments entitled “Supreme Court Weighs Assisted Suicide Case” (featuring Nina Totenberg); “Special Education Battles at Issue in High Court Case“; “GOP Senators Cautious on Miers Nomination“; and “Appointing from the Inner Circle.”

“Those who object to the Miers nomination do not object to her lack of credentials. They object to her lack of what the credentials represent: some indication of outstanding ability.” At National Review Online, this post appears today in “David Frum’s Diary.”

In news from Oregon: The Salem Statesman Journal today contains articles headlined “State officials to make case today for assisted-suicide law“; “Oregon death law hits national stage; Issue personal for Salem man“; and “Ex-governor predicts suicide law will stand; It has raised awareness of death issues, Roberts says.”

And The Oregonian reports today that “Suicide law goes before high court; Death With Dignity Act – The debate begins today on whether a federal agency overstepped its authority.”

“Latest First Amendment Contest Erupts Between Judge, McGraw-Hill”: Josh Gerstein has this article today in The New York Sun.

Dear Chief Justice Roberts: Any chance Justice Souter might reconsider his “Over my dead body!” objection to televising the Court’s proceedings? C-SPAN’s recent letter to the Chief Justice of the United States can be accessed here.

Update: Referring to the first sentence of the letter, a reader emails to note that the Chairman and CEO of C-SPAN is the last person the reader would expect to misspell the last name of Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA). The letter’s enclosure also contains a misspelling of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s last name. Good thing Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. isn’t a stickler for typos.

“Va. College’s Ruling? O’Connor Welcome.” The Washington Post today contains an article that begins, “U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will be the next chancellor of the College of William and Mary, an honorary appointment with particular resonance for the school’s new president, constitutional law scholar Gene R. Nichol.”

“Bush Fends Off Sharp Criticism of Court Choice”: This article appears today in The New York Times, along with articles headlined “In Midcareer, a Turn to Faith to Fill a Void” and “President, Citing Executive Privilege, Indicates He’ll Reject Requests for Counsel’s Documents.”

The Washington Post today contains articles headlined “Bush Defends Supreme Court Pick; President Reassures Conservatives on A Range of Issues“; “Strong Grounding in the Church Could Be a Clue to Miers’s Priorities“; and “A Pick That Blurs Party Lines and Stalls ‘Rapid Response’; White House Works To Sell Miers to Skeptics on Right.”

The Los Angeles Times contains articles headlined “Nominee ‘Best Person I Could Find,’ Bush Says“; “Miers Called an Opponent of Abortion“; “The Right Sees a Strong — and Wrong — Signal“; and “Miers Took a Nontraditional Path to Success; Many other women in high-level political jobs have struggled to find a work-family balance.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that “Activists Hunt for Paper Trail on Miers; As Both Sides Struggle to Define High Court Nominee, White House Allies Defend Her” (free access).

USA Today contains articles headlined “Bush defends his pick for court; Rejects criticism by conservatives” and “Senators look for best angle on Miers; Lacking long paper trail, parties eager for hearings.”

The Boston Globe contains articles headlined “President defends pick amid criticism; Despite split on the right, he calls Miers ‘keen mind’“; “Miers has backed wide executive role; Was on team that developed Patriot Act“; “Bush pick described as advocate for the poor, former convicts; In Dallas, Miers fostered legal aid“; and “R.I. firm was subject of probe when Miers ran Texas lottery.”

The Washington Times contains articles headlined “Bush reassures conservatives on Miers nod“; “Religious conversion redefined nominee’s worldview“; and “Miers’ views on homosexual rights scrutinized.”

The New York Sun reports that “‘This Woman Deserves to Be on the Bench,’ Bush Tells the Nation.”

The Dallas Morning News contains articles headlined “Bush defends Miers to the right; Trying to quell doubts, he insists court pick has conservative philosophy“; “Texas justice touts Miers with White House approval“; “Miers would be court’s first evangelical“; “Miers stuck to party line in 4 online chats“; and “Supporters voice faith in nominee; They say her religious outlook won’t affect opinions on cases.”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that “Miers’ church background may offer insight.”

The Houston Chronicle reports that “Bush defends court choice from attacks from the right; Conservatives question Miers’ qualifications and her politics.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Bush defends choice of Miers for Supreme Court” and “Once again, focus shifts to nominee’s views on abortion.”

The Sacramento Bee reports that “Miers shares his philosophy, president says.”

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that “Bush defends Miers from his own; President’s supporters rush to attack nominee as a crony lacking record and intellectual depth.”

The St. Petersburg Times reports that “Bush assures his base it can trust in his pick; In a Rose Garden news conference, the president touches on many issues, but most of the talk regards his latest choice for the Supreme Court.”

The Denver Post contains an article headlined “Salazar: Miers an ‘unknown quantity’ and needs review.”

And The Rocky Mountain News reports that “Salazar sweats Miers; Evangelist Dobson’s inside knowledge unnerves senator.”

“Can This Nomination Be Justified?” Columnist George F. Will has this op-ed today in The Washington Post.