“Court to decide when public lands management can be challenged”: Michael Doyle of McClatchy Newspapers has an article that begins, “A well-seasoned Sequoia National Forest logging dispute comes to a boil Wednesday, as the Supreme Court considers when activists can challenge the management of federal lands.”

“Ohio court weighs opening records”: The Cincinnati Enquirer provides a news update that begins, “Medical records of pregnant teenagers, and perhaps all Ohioans, could become public in a case before the state Supreme Court. Supreme Court justices are expected to rule by early next year on the first civil case of its kind in the nation seeking private records of minors.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Ohio top court mulls Planned Parenthood files.”

The Supreme Court of Ohio provides this background about the case. And by clicking here (RealPlayer required), you can view today’s oral argument of the appeal.

“High court dispute over who gets retirement money”: Mark Sherman of The Associated Press has an article that begins, “If William Kennedy had updated all his financial paperwork in accordance with his divorce decree, chances are his daughter would not have been at the Supreme Court on Tuesday fighting for the $402,000 she thinks should be hers.”

Access the transcripts of two cases argued today in the Supreme Court of the United States: Now available online are the transcripts for Herring v. United States, No. 07-513, and Arizona v. Gant, No. 07-542.

Update: Later today, the Court also posted online the transcript of oral argument from the third and final case argued today, Kennedy v. Plan Administrator for DuPont Sav. and Investment Plan, No. 07-636.

“Judge orders release of Chinese Muslims into US”: Hope Yen of The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal judge ordered the Bush administration Tuesday to immediately release a small group of Chinese Muslims from Guantanamo Bay into the United States.”

Two recent posts of interest at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.” Tony Mauro has a post titled “‘Massive Impasse’ at the Supreme Court” that begins, “It’s the classic dilemma that faces parties who suddenly find themselves before the Supreme Court. Who should argue: the lawyer who has been with the case from the beginning, or a seasoned Supreme Court advocate who knows which buttons to push to win the hearts and votes of five justices?”

And Mike Scarcella has a post titled “D.C. Circuit Takes Up Hairy Dispute in Beards Case.”

“Skepticism greets non-union fees case”: Tony Mauro has this news analysis online at the First Amendment Center.

“This case presents the question of whether it is constitutional for a public middle school to regulate the time, place, and manner of a student’s speech by preventing him from handing out leaflets in school hallways between classes and instead allowing him to post his leaflets on hallway bulletin boards and to distribute them during lunch hours from a cafeteria table.” So begins a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued today. According to the ruling, the student wanted to distribute leaflets in connection with the Third Annual Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity.

“They’re Back”: Late yesterday at her “Legalities” blog, ABC News correspondent Jan Crawford Greenburg had a post that begins, “The justices returned from their summer break today, and, as always, it felt a whole lot like being back in school after a few carefree months off.”

“Court Won’t Force Testimony On Firings of U.S. Attorneys; Issue Left to Next Congress In Victory for White House”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s D.C. Circuit ruling appears at this link.

“Brian Nichols trial: Prisoner-turned-captor testifies; The woman killer trusted says he was not making sense.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today contains an article that begins, “Brian Nichols claimed he was a ‘soldier for his people’ when he killed a judge, a court reporter and a sheriff’s deputy and escaped from his rape trial at the Fulton County Courthouse three years ago, according to one person he trusted during his 26-hour crime spree.”

And The Los Angeles Times reports today that “Woman testifies about placating kidnapper; Ashley Smith Robinson used the Bible and crystal meth to calm Brian Nichols, who faces four murder charges stemming from mayhem at an Atlanta courthouse in 2005.”

“Transgender Candidate Who Ran as Woman Did Not Mislead Voters, Court Says”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “The Georgia Supreme Court ruled Monday that a transgender politician did not mislead voters by running for office as a woman.”

And The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports today that “Riverdale woman victorious in court ruling.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Georgia at this link.

“State court rules vaccine suit can proceed”: Today in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, By Bill Rankin has an article that begins, “An Atlanta couple’s lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers can go to trial on claims a childhood vaccine caused neurological damage to their young son, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled Monday. In a landmark decision, the state high court unanimously ruled that Marcelo and Carolyn Ferrari’s lawsuit is not barred by the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Act. The court upheld a prior decision by the Georgia Court of Appeals, which was the first appellate court in the nation to make such a ruling.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Georgia at this link.

“Bush, Though Not Campaigning, Delivers a Message to Voters: ‘Judges Matter.'” This article appears today in The New York Times.

The Washington Post reports today that “Bush Stresses Judicial Nominations; President Faults Democrats for ‘Broken’ Confirmation Process.”

And The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that “Bush strikes confident tone; Says economy will be ‘just fine’ in downtown speech.”

“Supreme Court Opens Term With a Tobacco Fraud Case”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times reports today that “Supreme Court opens term with cigarette marketing case; Justices hear arguments on whether cigarette makers defrauded smokers with claims about light and low-tar cigarettes.”

In USA Today, Joan Biskupic reports that “High court seems to lean toward cigarette-makers; Boundary of state-federal law at crux of case weighing smokers’ complaints over labeling.”

And The Washington Post reports that “Suit on Tobacco Ads Sparks Feisty Debate; Marketing of ‘Light’ Cigarettes at Issue.”

“Wilkins retires from court to join law firm; Former U.S. Appeals Court judge will be based at Nexsen/Pruet Greenville office”: This article appeared Sunday in The Greenville News.

“Dissenting Opinions on the Supreme Court’s Future”: Today in The Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin has articles on that subject headlined “John McCain: Looking to the Framers” and “Barack Obama: The Present Is Prologue.”

“State, union battle in D.C.” Today’s edition of The Kennebec Journal contains an article that begins, “The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a case that pits 20 state workers against the Maine State Employees Association and the state of Maine.”

“Defense: Reputed Klansman acquittal should stand.” The Associated Press provides this report.