“Roberts Near Becoming Next Chief Justice”: Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press provides this report.

The U.S. Senate will vote at 11:30 a.m. tomorrow on the nomination of John G. Roberts, Jr. to be Chief Justice of the United States: Details here. The vote tally should be announced shortly after noon on the east coast.

Here’s a sampling of blog posts on what awaits the Nation’s next Chief Justice. “The Superficial” offers a post titled “Anna Nicole Smith wastes the Supreme Court’s time.” “Gawker” asks, “Anna Nicole Smith to Give John Roberts a Lapdance?” “The Letter D” offers a post titled “This Is Why The Selection of Supreme Court Justices Is Important.” “The Reaction” has a post titled “Sign of the Apocalypse #20: Anna Nicole Smith goes to Washington.” “Dancing Pedestrian” asks “Which is the MOST Distressing?” Just in case Anna Nicole decides to go pro se, you can sample her National Enquirer blog posts via this link.

“Fashion Trash Talk Is a Big Blog Hit For the ‘Fug Girls’; Savoring the Frightfully Ugly, They Savage Celebrities; Paris Hilton’s ‘Accident'”: A blog is the subject of this front page article (free access) published today in The Wall Street Journal.

In news from Holland: Gina Holland of The Associated Press reports that “O’Connor Ready for Life After High Court.” And The AP’s Jesse J. Holland reports that “Dems Vow Battle Over Ideologue Nominees.”

Meanwhile, in other news, The AP reports that “Court to Hear Oregon Suicide Law Case.”

“Ohio Supreme Court hears Norwood case”: The Cincinnati Enquirer provides a news update that begins, “The Ohio Supreme Court listened today to arguments for and against demolishing two of the three houses still standing on the site of the planned Rookwood Exchange office-retail-condo development in Norwood. The two property owners, Joy and Carl Gamble Jr. and Joe Horney, are fighting to get their houses back. They want the Ohio Supreme Court to prevent the project developer, Rookwood Partners, from tearing down their houses while they try appeal two lower court decisions supporting Norwood’s use of eminent domain to seize the properties.”

The Supreme Court of Ohio’s web site provides this background on the case. You can view online archived video of today’s oral argument by clicking here (RealPlayer required).

“Professor Irving compares Australian and U.S. court nominations”: Harvard Law School issued this news release today. This past Saturday, Law Professor Helen Irving had an op-ed entitled “Judging the judges” in The Sydney Morning Herald. And today, The Australian contains an editorial entitled “Let’s not turn our judges into politicians.”

Today’s rulings of note from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit: Big cases appear to be the order of the day.

One decision, which reinstates antitrust claims that the trial court dismissed, begins: “Plaintiffs allege an epic Wall Street conspiracy. They charge that the nation’s leading underwriting firms entered into illegal contracts with purchasers of securities distributed in initial public offerings.”

And today’s other noteworthy decision begins, “This appeal involves challenges to certain state statutes enacted pursuant to the $206 billion dollar Master Settlement Agreement (‘MSA’) settling litigation between forty-six states, as well as the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories, and the four major tobacco companies.”

Available online from Harvard Law School: Yesterday, the law school posted a news release entitled “Justices Breyer and Scalia talk with British counterparts.”

Two Sundays ago, the law school posted online a news release entitled “Tribe to deliver ‘Constitution Day’ lecture.” The lecture, titled “Remembering the Constitution’s Future: Anticipating the Roberts Legacy,” can be viewed online by clicking here (RealPlayer required).

Earlier, the law school posted online the text of an interview titled “Tribe reflects on Supreme legacies.”

“Those long, long law firm names grow short&snappy”: The Boston Globe contains this article today.

“Teacher Says Board Effort on Evolution Was Resisted”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

The Washington Post reports today that “Intimidation Alleged On ‘Intelligent Design’; Teacher Cites School Board Pressure.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer contains an article headlined “Testimony: Creationism was pressed.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Intelligent design tied to creationism in Dover trial.”

The Harrisburg Patriot-News reports that “Religious idea forced on classes, court told; Witnesses say some on Dover board had anti-evolution bias.”

And The York (Pa.) Daily Record contains articles headlined “Discussing Dover’s past: Witnesses testified that board members had a history of talking about creationism“; “Reporters refuse to answer queries; The correspondents appeared for depositions but invoked their reporter’s privilege“; and “Defense: Plaintiffs’ witness helped; The Brown professor said university teaching can’t be compared to public schools.” Today’s newspaper also contains an Editor’s Note and an op-ed by columnist Mike Argento entitled “The worst job: Teaching science in Dover.”

“U.S. Judges, ABA Assail Death Row Appeals Bill”: Henry Weinstein has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

“High court to rule on validity of parolee search”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “The U.S. Supreme Court took up a Bay Area man’s appeal Tuesday to decide whether police may search paroled California prisoners or their homes even if officers have no evidence of wrongdoing.”

“Supreme Court will decide ex-playmate’s claim to fortune; Battle over Marshall estate hinges on who has jurisdiction”: This article appears today in The Houston Chronicle.

And today in The Washington Post, Charles Lane has an article headlined “Supreme Court to Weigh In on Anna Nicole Smith’s Inheritance Case.”

Goodbye Justice Antonin Scalia bobblehead doll certificate, hello Justice Antonin Scalia bobblehead doll: Today I begin the process of redeeming my Green Bag-issued certificate for a Justice Antonin Scalia bobblehead doll. For the benefit of those who aren’t Green Bag subscribers (as all should be), here’s what a certificate looks like (except the original is in full color, contains a number and the recipient’s name and address, and is embossed with the official Green Bag seal).

The Associated Press is reporting: Now available online are articles headlined “Bush Near End of O’Connor Successor Search” and “GOP Hopes for Another Smooth Confirmation.”

Meanwhile, in other news, “Tribune Plans Appeal of Tax Ruling.” “TaxProf Blog” offers this post, containing additional links of interest, on the Tribune tax matter.

“Filibuster Showdown Looms In Senate; Democrats Prepare For Next Court Pick”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

Today in The Philadelphia Inquirer, political analyst Dick Polman has an article headlined “For the right, a Bush IOU is supreme.”

The Times & Democrat of Orangeburg, South Carolina reports that “Speculation has Orangeburg’s Karen Williams as top choice for court.”

The Washington Times reports that “‘Gang of 14’ backing Roberts.”

The Detroit Free Press reports that “Levin to vote for Roberts.”

The Hartford Courant reports that “Dodd, Lieberman Back Roberts; Senators, In Floor Speeches, Say Bush Nominee Highly Qualified.”

And The Providence Journal reports that “Reed says he’ll oppose confirmation of Roberts.”

“Justices Take On Spending Limits for Candidates”: Linda Greenhouse has this article today in The New York Times, along with an article headlined “Supreme Court to Determine Fate of Business Tax Credits.”

In The Los Angeles Times today, David G. Savage reports that “Supreme Court to Review Rules on Election Spending.” And in related news, “Justices to Hear Case With Celebrity Twist.”

In USA Today, Joan Biskupic has articles headlined “Court to review limits on candidates’ spending; Issue: Does Vermont campaign law violate free-speech rights?” and “Justices to hear Anna Nicole case.”

The New York Daily News contains an article headlined “Anna gets her day in high court” that begins, “Ex-stripper Anna Nicole Smith’s ample assets will be in the hands of soon-to-be-confirmed chief justice John Roberts.”

In The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Michael McGough reports that “Supreme Court returns to campaign finance law.”

The Washington Post reports that “Court to Rule on Building Incentives; Tax Breaks Used Commonly as Lure.”

The Detroit Free Press reports that “High court takes DCX case; Justices to review Ohio’s Jeep tax incentives.”

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that “Court to rule on tax breaks; States use incentives to lure businesses.”

The Washington Times reports that “Justices to mull business tax lures.”

And The Cincinnati Post contains an editorial entitled “The war between the states.”

“Libel Memorandum Attributed Falsely to Court Nominee”: Adam Liptak has this high-profile correction today in The New York Times. The correction pertains to Liptak’s article headlined “Clues on How Roberts Might Rule on Libel” published in yesterday’s newspaper.

“Gonzales avoids Supreme question; U.S. attorney general in Tallahassee to meet governor, speak to state workers”: This article appears today in The Tallahassee Democrat.

Available online from law.com: Tony Mauro has an article headlined “To Kick Off the Term, a High Court Glitch.”

And in news from California, “How Did an L.A. Firm Become a Magnet for Supreme Court Clerks?”