Today’s expected rulings from the Supreme Court of California: Not only will the Supreme Court of the United States be issuing major rulings today, but so will California’s highest court. Slated for decision today are a major challenge to the California Coastal Commission (Marine Forests Society v. California Coastal Commission, oral argument audio here in Windows Media format) and a separate case presenting the question whether a defendant’s unintentional forgetting of the obligation to register as a sex offender, based upon an allegedly impaired mental condition, constitutes a defense to the felony offense of “willfully” failing to register as a sex offender. Rulings in these cases will be announced at 1 p.m. eastern time today.
“Junkets for Judges: Contrary to critics’ beliefs, privately sponsored judicial conferences broaden judges’ minds.” Law Professor Jonathan H. Adler today has this essay at National Review Online.
On the agenda: At 10 a.m. eastern time today, the U.S. Supreme Court will announce more rulings in argued cases. My list setting forth the questions presented in the twelve argued cases that remain pending for decision this Term can be accessed here.
The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting: In today’s newspaper, Bob Egelko has an article headlined “Makeup for bartenders before appeals court.”
And in other news, “3 S.F. pot clubs raided in probe of organized crime; Medical marijuana dispensaries used as front for money laundering, authorities say.”
“Pro-Bush group airs TV, radio ad about high court”: USA Today contains this article today.
“55-year prison term for drugs challenged; The first offender’s sentence in Utah for selling marijuana brought opposition from former prosecutors and judges”: This article appears today in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Curbing the court priority for some”: The Topeka Capital-Journal today contains an article that begins, “Still angry at what they consider a breach of judicial power, conservatives in the Legislature spent the first day of the special session pushing proposals to limit the powers of the Kansas Supreme Court.”
“Perry spares juvenile killers; 28 sentences commuted to life in prison following a Supreme Court ruling in March”: This article appears today in The Houston Chronicle.
“High Court to Review Privacy Rights; Panel will rule in repressed memory case in which a UC Irvine scholar revealed information about the subject of a study”: Today in The Los Angeles Times, Maura Dolan has an article that begins, “Stepping into the debate over repressed memory, the California Supreme Court decided Wednesday to review whether a famed memory scholar can be found liable for defaming and invading the privacy of the subject of a psychological case study.”
“New high court aide had a blog; Lawyer offered strong opinions on current hot topics”: The Lexington Herald-Leader today contains an article that begins, “The young lawyer whom Kentucky Chief Justice Joseph Lambert yesterday named his chief of staff has strong opinions about Democrats, gay marriage and other hot-button topics, and until recently he enjoyed posting them on the Internet. Jason Nemes, 27, a former Republican congressional aide, discontinued his personal blog — with posts such as ‘Democrats are anti-American’ and ‘Does a fetus feel pain?’ — before taking a job at the state Supreme Court.” The newspaper also offers a related item consisting of “Excerpts from the blog.”
Google offers this cache of the blog’s home page.
“Bush to peg Hartford judge for federal bench”: The Associated Press reports here that “President Bush intends to nominate a Connecticut civil court judge to the federal bench in what would be the first appointment of a black woman to a federal court in New England, U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd’s office said Wednesday.”
“Please Don’t Go, We Love You So: Liberal nostalgia for Chief Justice William Rehnquist.” Slate has just posted online this jurisprudence essay by Emily Bazelon.
