Sixth Circuit decides appeal involving trademark dispute between two guitar manufacturing giants: To learn which will be playing a sad guitar, you can access today’s ruling by clicking here.

“Breaking News: Clerkly Clues to the Justices’ Plans!” This post appears today at the blog “Underneath Their Robes.”

“The Chief Justice is Dead; Long Live the Chief Justice”: That’s the title of the newest installment of my monthly appellate column, published today in The Legal Intelligencer.

In today’s edition of The Sacramento Bee: The newspaper contains articles headlined “Senators will share in Roberts’ spotlight” and “Possible questions in Roberts confirmation hearings.”

And in other news, an article is headlined “Purging racist property records; The bill would make it easier for homeowners to have the offensive language removed.”

“The ‘Young Radical’ Who Grew Into a Leader: Hemmed in by liberal precedents and pressured by conservative colleagues, William Rehnquist found a common ground.” Tony Mauro has this article online at law.com.

And today in The National Law Journal, Marcia Coyle has an article headlined “Stakes higher over Roberts; Hearing to determine next chief justice.”

“Looking for a leader for the high court: As confirmation hearings start, senators hope John Roberts can bring consensus to an often ideologically splintered Supreme Court.” Tom Curry, national affairs writer for MSNBC, provides this report.

Available online from The New Republic: In the September 19, 2005 issue of that magazine, Law Professor Jeffrey Rosen has an essay entitled “Stare Decisis: With his nomination of John Roberts as chief justice, President Bush is offering liberals a truce; They should take it.” And Marisa Katz has an essay entitled “Power Tool: Why liberals should fight Roberts.”

Finally, available as online-only content, Michael Crowley has an essay entitled “Close Calls: For some senators, the Roberts nomination has created a predicament; A TNR guide.”

Where necessary, I have provided pass-through links.

The Associated Press is reporting: Jesse J. Holland reports that “Senate to Start Roberts’ Hearings Today.”

And in news from Arizona, “Sandra Day O’Connor Promoting Kids’ Book.”

“Blawg Review #23”: You can access it here, at the blawg “Preaching to the Perverted.”

“What Questions Will John Roberts Answer?” This segment (RealPlayer required) featuring Nina Totenberg appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Morning Edition.”

Available at National Review Online: U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) has an essay entitled “The Senate in Action: Three things to watch for during the Roberts hearing.”

And Edward Whelan has an essay entitled “The Roberts Hearing: A preview of coming detractions.”

“High court battle opens today; Bush, Dems both hope to gain from Roberts hearings”: This article appears today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

The Boston Globe today contains articles headlined “Roberts has momentum as hearings begin; Conservative strategists say foes failed to set impression” and “Responsiveness may sway opinions.”

The Baltimore Sun reports that “Roberts takes first steps toward confirmation; Hearing to open today for chief justice nominee; Questioning begins tomorrow; Specter says he won’t ask directly about view on Roe.”

In The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Michael McGough has articles headlined “Supreme Court nominee Roberts to face tough questions” and “Legal terms senators will ask Roberts about.”

The Washington Times reports that “Roberts’ opinions hit close to home for senators.”

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that “Congress’ power is key issue in hearings.”

The New York Sun reports that “Abortion Issue Looms Large For Roberts.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that “New Criticisms Aimed at Roberts; Sen. Barack Obama, a black Democrat, worries that the nominee has not taken racial issues seriously in his judicial thinking.”

The St. Petersburg Times reports that “Buildup over, the hearings begin; Little seems to stand in the way of John Roberts’ joining the high court as its chief, but Senate scrutiny starts today.”

The Chicago Tribune contains an article headlined “Across the aisle but still friends; Specter and Leahy strive for civility in Roberts hearings.”

The Dallas Morning News reports that “Roberts hearings begin today; Approval seen as likely as Senate saves battle for next high court spot.”

The Topeka Capital-Journal contains an article headlined “Calm before storm: Brownback predicts Roberts confirmation to sail smoothly.”

The Harvard Crimson reports that “Senate to Commence Hearings on Roberts.”

The Harrisburg Patriot-News reports that “As Roberts’ day arrives, all eyes are on Specter.”

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that “DeWine will offer praise of Roberts.”

The Knoxville News Sentinel reports that “Tennesseans to testify at Roberts’ hearing; 2 from state scheduled to speak at Roberts’ nomination hearing.”

The Gainesville Sun reports that “Area legal minds reflect on hearing for Roberts.”

The Yale Daily News reports that “Court lacks Blue blood on bench.”

And BBC News reports that “Supreme Court hearings to start; The US Senate is due to begin the process of confirming the appointment of a Supreme Court justice, for the first time in 11 years.”

In commentary, Newsday contains an editorial entitled “How activist is Roberts? Congress should try to find out.”

The Oregonian contains an editorial entitled “Pass the meat, Judge Roberts: President Bush’s nominee doesn’t have to dish on every issue, but he must be as candid and specific as possible.”

The Palm Beach Post contains an editorial entitled “Find out Roberts’ views on privacy, federalism.” And columnist Tom Blackburn has an op-ed entitled “Proof that Catholics aren’t robots.”

The Salt Lake Tribune contains an editorial entitled “Roberts Hearings: Nominee could preside for decades.”

The Boston Globe contains an editorial entitled “Reading Roberts’s mind.” And Law Professor Jed Shugerman has an op-ed entitled “Revisiting the Senate’s ‘nuclear’ option.”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram contains an editorial entitled “Who are you?” And Ronald A. Cass has an op-ed entitled “Balance on the court is the wrong debate.”

The Ledger of Lakeland, Florida contains an editorial entitled “Roberts Must Not Threaten Privacy.”

In The Chicago Sun-Times, Robert Novak has an op-ed entitled “Replacing O’Connor could get ugly.”

In The Los Angeles Times, Juliette Kayyem has an op-ed entitled “Appointments that disappoint.” And Ronald Brownstein’s “Washington Outlook” column is entitled “To Fill O’Connor’s Shoes, Bush Might Want to Cross the Aisle.”

In The Wall Street Journal, Theodore B. Olson has an op-ed entitled “John Roberts Deserves a Dignified Process; An unseemly spectacle demeans us all.”

In The San Jose Mercury News, Patrick J. Buchanan has an op-ed entitled “High court needs bold stroke; Bush, on the ropes, is in danger of nominating centrist to appease enemies.”

In The Detroit Free Press, Law Professor Robert A. Sedler has an op-ed entitled “Bush picks for high court don’t threaten Roe v. Wade.”

In The Daily Californian, columnist Darryl Stein has an op-ed entitled “Bush’s Full-Court Press.”

And FindLaw commentator Michael C. Dorf has an essay entitled “Does it Matter Whether John Roberts Becomes an Associate Justice, or the Chief? Why Both the President and Democratic Skeptics Are Wrong to Think it Does.”

“In Hearings, Senate Will Seek a Sense of Roberts’ Ideals”: David G. Savage and Richard B. Schmitt have this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

Today in The Washington Post, Howard Kurtz’s “Media Notes” column is entitled “Hearings Tempest Downgraded to Topical Storm.”

And the op-ed page of The New York Times today includes “Twenty-Five Questions” for Chief Justice nominee John G. Roberts, Jr., five each from five contributors. Jean Edward Smith’s questions are headlined “Chief Conciliators.” Glenn Harlan Reynolds’s questions are headlined “Judge Bork’s Inkblot.” Ron Klain’s questions are headlined “Carols in the Court.” Dick Thornburgh’s questions are headlined “The Fantastic Five.” And Kathleen Sullivan’s questions are headlined “Defender of Justice.”