How Appealing



Tuesday, January 17, 2006

“Nelson: I’ll vote for Alito.” The Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star provides this news update.

And Thomas Ferraro of Reuters provides a report headlined “Senate Democrat backs Alito for US Supreme Court” that begins, “Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a moderate voice in the U.S. Congress, on Tuesday became the first Senate Democrat to announce his support for conservative Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, who is expected to be confirmed later this month by the full Republican-led Senate.”

Posted at 10:55 PM by Howard Bashman



“Justices Reject U.S. Bid to Block Assisted Suicide”: Linda Greenhouse will have this article Wednesday in The New York Times.

In Wednesday’s edition of The Washington Post, Charles Lane will report that “Justices Uphold Oregon Assisted-Suicide Law; In a Blow to Administration, Ruling Paves Way for Other States to Follow Suit.”

The Chicago Tribune on Wednesday will report that “End-of-life care now the central issue in debate over assisted suicide.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesday will report that “California becomes next battleground in assisted suicide debate.”

In Wednesday’s edition of Financial Times, Patti Waldmeir reports that “Assisted suicide law upheld by US court.”

Wednesday’s edition of The Independent (UK) reports that “Snub for Bush as suicide law is upheld by judges.”

law.com’s Tony Mauro reports that “Oregon Suicide Law Is Upheld by High Court.”

The News & Advance of Lynchburg, Virginia provides a news update headlined “Falwell, Staver blast Supreme Court decision on suicide.”

USA Today on Wednesday will contain an editorial entitled “Court protects dignity of dying patients — for now.” And Jay Sekulow will have an op-ed entitled “Ruling begins a battle.”

And The Seattle Post-Intelligencer on Wednesday will contain an editorial entitled “A state right to die.”

Posted at 10:28 PM by Howard Bashman



“Will Congress take action on assisted suicide? After justices leave door open, conservatives urge legislation.” Tom Curry, national affairs writer for MSNBC, provides this report.

Posted at 10:15 PM by Howard Bashman



“Roberts Questions McCain-Feingold Limits”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “Chief Justice John Roberts expressed doubts Tuesday about legal restrictions on political ads by outside groups as the Supreme Court took up a new challenge to the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law.”

Posted at 5:54 PM by Howard Bashman



In Massachusetts, no more Batson-like claims due to exclusion of 2-year-olds from juries: Yesterday’s edition of The Standard-Times of New Bedford contained an article headlined “2-year-old city resident gets call for jury duty” that begins, “Kaylee Reynolds received a Taunton District Court Jury Summons for June 30, and she will be glad to do her duty as long as the trial judge calls a noontime recess for her daily nap. Kaylee gets a little grumpy — if not downright cranky — if she misses her midday snooze, Patricia Reynolds says of her 2-year-old daughter.”

Posted at 3:40 PM by Howard Bashman



“Alito well-versed in First Amendment”: Online at the First Amendment Center, Tony Mauro has a news analysis that begins, “Amid three days of refusing to state his views, it was a rare glimpse behind the facade: Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito Jr. actually acknowledged that he had a point of view on a controversial issue.”

In addition, the First Amendment Center has collected Judge Alito’s First Amendment-related confirmation hearing testimony at this link.

Posted at 3:10 PM by Howard Bashman



Cannibal testifies he’s not a killer, just hungry: The Times of London today contains an article headlined “I wanted to eat him, not kill him, court is told.”

BBC News provides a report headlined “German cannibal ‘not a murderer’; A self-confessed cannibal has described how he killed and partially ate a man he met via the internet in March 2001, at a retrial in Germany.”

Reuters reports that “Cannibal draws unusual distinction.”

And The Associated Press provides a report headlined “Cannibal: Victim asked to die.”

Posted at 3:05 PM by Howard Bashman



“States weigh wine ruling; Eight months later, nearly half still bar direct shipments”: The Sacramento Bee today contains an article that begins, “A Supreme Court victory won by California winemakers is now starting to resemble a fine cabernet: It’s taking a long time to fully mature.”

Posted at 2:44 PM by Howard Bashman



Crying fowl: In connection with Justice Antonin Scalia’s dissenting opinion today in the Oregon assisted suicide case, a longtime reader has sent an email titled “Scalia a comedian but no ornithologist” that states:

In dissent today Scalia writes, “Since the Regulation does not run afowl (so to speak) of the Court’s newly invented prohibition of ‘parroting’….”

But according to my dictionary, parrots are birds of the order Psittaciformes and fowl are birds of the order Galliformes.

Scalia better get this all straight before any avian flu cases come before the court.

Too funny.

Posted at 12:50 PM by Howard Bashman



Today’s U.S. Supreme Court opinions and Order List: The Court issued two opinions in argued cases today.

In Gonzales v. Oregon, No. 04-623, you can access the syllabus here; Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s majority opinion here; Justice Antonin Scalia’s dissenting opinion here; Justice Clarence Thomas’s dissenting opinion here; and the oral argument transcript here.

In Wachovia Bank, N.A. v. Schmidt, No. 04-1186, you can access the syllabus here, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s opinion for a unanimous court (with Justice Thomas recused) here; and the oral argument transcript here.

Today’s Order List is available at this link. The Court did not grant review in any new cases today.

In early coverage, Gina Holland of The Associated Press reports that “Supreme Court Upholds Ore. Suicide Law.” James Vicini of Reuters reports that “Court rules govt. can’t stop Oregon suicide law” and “Court won’t review Vatican Bank Holocaust suit.” The AP also reports that “Supreme Court Denies Firefighters’ Families“; “Supreme Court Denies Protester’s Appeal“; and “Justices Deny Appeal on Evidence Withheld.” Reuters also reports that “US court rules for Wachovia on federal jurisdiction.”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Court bars federal control over assisted suicide.”

Back in October, I collected press coverage of the oral argument in the Oregon assisted suicide case in posts that you can access here, here, and here. Meanwhile, Tom Goldstein correctly predicted the outcome in a post you can access at this link.

Posted at 10:00 AM by Howard Bashman



“How Alito explained his high regard for Bork; Dems tried to use his praise to show him in a bad light”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

Today in USA Today, Joan Biskupic reports that “Court losing O’Connor’s unique voice; Answers often obtained from her questions.” And columnist DeWayne Wickham has an op-ed entitled “Alito’s attempt to shed old alliance doesn’t ring true.”

The Washington Times reports that “Democrats abort deal on Alito vote.” And Tod Lindberg has an op-ed entitled “The search for ‘something.’

In The Boston Globe, Charlie Savage reports that “Alito hearings recast abortion issue; Activists see no need for ‘stealth’ nominees.” And Peter S. Canellos has an essay entitled “Judiciary Committee confirms its history of common ground.”

The Stanford Daily reports that “Alito coolly navigates hearings.”

And The Penn State Collegian reports that “Alliance protests support of Alito.”

In commentary, columnist Ruth Marcus has an op-ed entitled “Underneath Their Robes” in The Washington Post.

In The Providence (R.I.) Journal, columnist M. Charles Bakst has an op-ed entitled “Alito vote: Chafee and conscience.”

In Newsday, columnist James P. Pinkerton has an op-ed entitled “Democrats can learn from failure to block Alito.”

In The Rocky Mountain News, columnist Vincent Carroll has an op-ed entitled “Salazar on the spot.”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram contains an editorial entitled “On the one hand….” And Don Erler has an op-ed entitled “So what is Samuel Alito’s problem?

The Harrisburg Patriot-News contains an editorial entitled “Judicial Dance.”

The Washington Examiner contains an editorial entitled “Confirm Samuel A. Alito Jr.

The Sheboygan-Press contains an editorial entitled “Without delay, Alito should be confirmed.”

The Daily News-Record of Harrisonburg, Virginia contains an editorial entitled “Confirm Judge Alito.”

The Intelligencer of Wheeling, West Virginia contains an editorial entitled “Liberal Extremists Are ‘Out of Step.’

The Berkshire Eagle contains an editorial entitled “No to Alito.”

And in The Yale Daily News, Ben Shaffer has an op-ed entitled “Alito’s politcs trump his resume.”

Posted at 7:15 AM by Howard Bashman



“Cheap justice is poor justice; Recent hostility toward the judiciary is no excuse for underfunding the third branch of government”: The Roanoke Times contains this editorial today.

Posted at 7:08 AM by Howard Bashman



“BlackBerry Gambles Patent Office Will Be On Its Side in Court”: This article (free access) appears today in The Wall Street Journal.

Posted at 7:00 AM by Howard Bashman



“California Executes Death Row Inmate, 76”: Henry Weinstein and Hector Becerra of The Los Angeles Times provide this news update.

The San Francisco Chronicle offers articles headlined “Ailing killer executed at age 76; Condemned for 3 slayings, Allen is oldest ever put to death in state“; “A quieter protest outside San Quentin this time; About 300 people, some of them kin, in the glare of TV“; and “Allen’s last meal: KFC and pecan pie.”

The Sacramento Bee provides a news update headlined “Clarence Allen, 76, executed for 1980 triple murder.”

And The Associated Press reports that “California Executes Oldest Inmate.”

Update: The U.S. Supreme Court‘s order denying a stay of execution, from which Justice Stephen G. Breyer dissented, can be accessed here.

Posted at 6:48 AM by Howard Bashman