“Today’s Chance of Confirmation: 70 percent.” So reports Slate’s Miers-o-Meter, in an item headlined “The Right Ramps Up: And Miers’ numbers head south.”

“Senators in G.O.P. Voice New Doubt on Court Choice”: This article will appear Wednesday in The New York Times.

The Washington Post on Wednesday will report that “New Push for Miers Is in the Works; Speech by Nominee Among Moves Being Considered by White House.”

And Wednesday’s edition of USA Today will report that “GOP senators push for more on Miers; Greater detail sought about her views, role in formulating policies.”

“Point Man for Miers Juggles Allegiances; Legal Conservative Risks Credibility By Helping Bush Defuse Criticism Of High Court Nominee”: In Wednesday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal, Jeanne Cummings will have this article (free access) about Leonard Leo.

You can never be too thin, too rich, or have too many pieces of legislation under consideration to split the Ninth Circuit: Tomorrow afternoon, as I earlier noted here, a subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on legislation to divide the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. And, if that is not enough, the House Judiciary Committee tomorrow afternoon will be holding its mark-up of separate legislation to split the Ninth Circuit. Of course, if it were up to the House, the Ninth Circuit would have been split long ago. But the Senate keeps cooling the saucer, so to speak.

“Vermont Law School pays price for banning of military recruiters”: This article appears today in The Burlington Free Press.

The Associated Press is reporting: Jesse J. Holland reports that “Conservative Group Starts Anti-Miers Ads,” while a related item is headlined “Adwatch: Miers’ Withdrawal Sought.”

And in other news, “Justice Scalia Turns Away TV Reporters.”

“The End of Federalism?” Online at the web site of the Claremont Institute, John C. Eastman has an essay that begins, “Why has there been such a firestorm over President Bush’s most recent nominee to the Supreme Court?”

On today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Day to Day“: The broadcast contained segments entitled “Slate’s Jurisprudence: Confessions Under Torture” (featuring Dahlia Lithwick) and “Rosa Parks: Appreciation of a Rights Pioneer.” RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

Available online from the Alliance for Justice: “Preliminary Report on the Nomination of Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court” and “The Miers Nomination: The Process Must Reveal More.”

“Few high-court nominees have withdrawn”: Scripps Howard News Service provides this report.

“Revisiting Proposals to Split the Ninth Circuit: An Inevitable Solution to a Growing Problem.” The witness list for tomorrow afternoon’s hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee‘s Subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts can now be accessed here.

LexisNexis issues press release demonstrating that LexisNexis can be used to prove the obvious: Now available online is a press release entitled “LexisNexis Search Concludes Others More Experienced Than Miers; Database Provides Insight to Number of Opinions Each Litigator Has Penned.”

“On Tuesday, October 25, Americans for Better Justice, announced the launch of ABJ’s national advertising campaign to urge President Bush to withdraw his nomination of Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.” You can view the ad by clicking here, while the Americans for Better Justice web site can be accessed here.

Australian judge slams British newspaper reporter for portraying town of Darwin as a “hick town”: The Australian Associated Press provides reports headlined “Darwin judge wants ‘hick town’ apology” and “Herald to retract Murdoch article.”

The Guardian (UK) reported yesterday that “Falconio trial judge condemns press articles.” And The Telegraph (UK) reported yesterday that “Falconio judge calls for apology over Brian slur.”

“High court opposites dazzling off the bench”: Today in The Chicago Sun-Times, columnist John O’Sullivan has an essay from Melbourne, Australia that begins, “Most legal reporters would burn their briefs to overhear U.S. Supreme Court discussions between Justices Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer, respectively the leading conservative and liberal minds on the court.”

Additional coverage is available in a post titled “A Judicial SIGHT-ation from Down Under: Nino and Steve’s Excellent Adventure!” at “Underneath Their Robes.”

Divided Third Circuit panel affirms dismissal of federal civil rights claims filed by self-styled “campus-evangelist” whose preaching on the evils of pre-marital sex, drinking, and homosexuality nearly sparked a riot on the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at this link.

News coverage of the underlying dispute can be accessed here, here, here and here.

“Bush Refusal to Provide Miers Data Raises Confirmation Hurdle”: Bloomberg News provides this report.

“Nina Totenberg discusses Supreme Court scene”: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today contains an article that begins, “If Harriet Miers is still looking for a ‘crash course’ on the U.S. Supreme Court, she could have picked up a few pointers last night from Nina Totenberg, National Public Radio’s court correspondent.”

In today’s mail: I’m very pleased to have received in today’s mail a copy of Joan Biskupic‘s new book, “Sandra Day O’Connor: How the First Woman on the Supreme Court Became Its Most Influential Justice.” Apparently the book has gone on-sale in bookstores across the USA today [USA Today pun largely accidental].

A little birdie tells me that Joan will be visiting the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia to talk about her book (and sign copies of it) on the evening of December 1, 2005. Let’s hope Joan remembers Justice O’Connor’s advice to be on the lookout for the falling beams.

“Sen. Baucus Demands That Miers Release Her Tax Returns (As Must Tax Court Judges)”: This post appears today at “TaxProf Blog.”

Priscilla Owens and Harriet Mier: Via The Washington Post’s “Campaign for the Court” blog, I have come across a Google cache of D Magazine‘s April 2005 interview entitled “Tracy Rowlett Interviews Harriet Miers.” The interview is interesting, but be forewarned that Fifth Circuit Judge Priscilla R. Owen‘s last name is misspelled. See, e.g., NPR‘s “All Things Considered” segment from May 25, 2005, “It’s Pronounced Owen: One Person, Singular” (RealPlayer required).

“Hurricane Katrina’s Blow to the Justice System”: You can access yesterday’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Justice Talking” at this link (Windows Media Player). Among the guests on the program: Fifth Circuit Chief Judge Carolyn Dineen King and attorneys Richard Scruggs, Kenneth Feinberg, and Richard Samp.

“Bush is firm on keeping lid on Miers’ records”: This article appears today in The Sacramento Bee.

“Execution Closer for ‘a Model of Humanity'”: Today in The Los Angeles Times, Henry Weinstein has an article that begins, “Lawyers and religious figures on Monday launched what is expected to be a vigorous battle to save the life of Stanley ‘Tookie’ Williams, the reputed co-founder of the Crips street gang, after a judge set Dec. 13 as his execution date.”

The San Francisco Chronicle reports today that “Execution for Nobel nominee killer set.”

And in The San Jose Mercury News, Howard Mintz reports that “Judge orders execution of gang founder/activist; Death penalty debate begins to flare up.”

On today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Morning Edition“: The broadcast contained segments entitled “Civil Rights Pioneer Rosa Parks Dies“; “Lawsuits Filed Over New Orleans Levee Breaks“; and “Evacuated Prisoners Held in Limbo After Katrina” (RealPlayer required).

“The ‘Krauthammer factor'”: At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post that begins, “Almost from the beginning, the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet E. Miers has been in trouble with prominent conservative columnists.”

“Appeals court rules judges may keep their papers secret”: The Chicago Sun-Times today contains an article that begins, “The justices of the Supreme Court of Illinois have an ‘absolute privilege’ to keep secret any memos and documents they circulate among themselves, a state appellate court ruled Monday.”

“Bush Refuses to Release Miers’ Files; He says letting senators see the high court pick’s White House records is a ‘red line I’m not willing to cross’; Lawmakers suggest a compromise”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

The Washington Post reports today that “Conservatives Escalate Opposition to Miers; Web Sites and Ad Campaign Seek Nominee’s Withdrawal.”

The Dallas Morning News reports that “Bush won’t share records on Miers’ White House time; Privilege cited; senators say they must know more before hearings.”

The Denver Post reports that “Miers’ silence on leak may be on shaky footing; Experts say the Supreme Court nominee can’t claim attorney-client privilege on all Plame-related queries.”

In The Boston Globe, Charlie Savage reports that “Bush says he won’t air memos from Miers; Sparks standoff with both parties.”

The Houston Chronicle contains articles headlined “Bush: Records of Miers’ legal advice off-limits; Details on her work as counsel to president sought” and “Bush gets help from home; Texas senators take high-profile roles in defending the White House.”

The Washington Times reports that “Bush refuses to disclose conversations with Miers” and “Leaders on right call for new pick.”

And The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Bush balks on data tied to Miers’ counsel.”

In commentary, The Seattle Times contains an editorial entitled “Miers not qualified for Supreme Court.”

Bloomberg News columnist Andrew Ferguson has an essay entitled “Miers Joins Long March of Mediocrity to Court.”

In The Boston Globe, columnist Thomas Oliphant has an op-ed entitled “Missteps on Miers.”

In The Washington Times, Bruce Fein has an op-ed entitled “Set-aside baggage.”

In The Rocky Mountain News, columnist Paul Campos has an op-ed entitled “Miers gets royal treatment.”

And in The San Francisco Chronicle, columnist Debra J. Saunders has an op-ed entitled “Slap them silly.”

“Criticism of Miller Could Complicate Case Against Libby”: Josh Gerstein has this article today in The New York Sun.