On this evening’s broadcast of NPR‘s “All Things Considered“: The broadcast contained segments entitled “High Court Avoids Ruling on Abortion Case” (featuring Nina Totenberg) and “Lay Gives Up Coin Toss for Prime Spot in Courtroom” (a related document is here). RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

“On abortion, court finds middle ground; Its 9-to-0 ruling on a parental-notification law avoids some key issues”: Warren Richey and Linda Feldmann will have this article Thursday in The Christian Science Monitor.

“Justice expresses dissent in print”: From Alabama, The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “State Supreme Court Justice Mike Bolin was shocked one morning when he opened his newspaper and saw an op-ed page article by Justice Tom Parker criticizing Bolin and the other justices for following a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

And The Montgomery Advertiser today contains an editorial entitled “Parker’s attack insults court.”

“RIM: BlackBerry Shutdown May Hurt U.S.” The Associated Press provides this report.

Bloomberg News reports that “Research In Motion Says BlackBerry Is Key to Economy.”

And The Toronto Globe and Mail today contains an article headlined “RIM allegedly caused ‘substantial harm’; NTP says business has suffered because of firm’s refusal to settle infringement case.”

“Harper says courts bear marks of Liberal rule”: The Toronto Globe and Mail provides a news update that begins, “The Canadian court system bears the mark of more than 10 years of Liberal rule, Conservative Leader Stephen Harper said today.”

“In Lebec, ‘Intelligent Design’ Class Is History; School officials settle a lawsuit with parents and agree to never again offer such a course”: The Los Angeles Times today contains an article that begins, “In a second defeat in a month for proponents of teaching ‘intelligent design’ in public schools, a rural school district in Kern County agreed Tuesday to stop a course that had included discussion of a religion-based alternative to evolution.”

“Fresno courthouse makes stylish debut; Operating details are worked out as opening day brings life to the new U.S. District Court”: This article appears today in The Fresno Bee.

“My Father’s Abortion War”: Eyal Press will have this article (TimesSelect subscription required) in the January 22, 2006 issue of The New York Times Magazine.

“Supreme Court Dodges Major Abortion Ruling”: David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times provides this news update.

law.com’s Tony Mauro reports that “Supreme Court Sends New Hampshire Abortion Case Back to Lower Court.”

James Vicini of Reuters reports that “Top court orders more hearings on abortion law.”

And today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Day to Day” contained a segment entitled “Slate’s Jurisprudence: High Court’s Abortion Ruling” (RealPlayer required) featuring Dahlia Lithwick.

Clothes may make the man, but a criminal defendant’s appearance at trial in a prison jumpsuit doesn’t always necessitate reversal: At the close of this ruling issued today, the Seventh Circuit observes, “It would be well-worth a court’s time and expenses to keep extra suits at the courthouse for a defendant to wear, should he appear at trial in his prison-issued jumpsuit. Had the Price County Court in this case had an extra suit on hand, this lengthy and protracted litigation would not have been necessary.” At least Wisconsin trial courts need wonder no longer how they should spend those holiday gift cards to the mall.

“Prison authorities must be given considerable latitude in the design of measures for controlling homicidal maniacs without exacerbating their manias beyond what is necessary for security.” The prison inmate who killed Jeffrey Dahmer has his Eighth Amendment cruel and unusual conditions of confinement lawsuit decided today in an opinion that Circuit Judge Richard A. Posner filed on behalf of a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

“Ingrate Judges: Conservative Justices have a tendency of moving leftward; The same could happen with Roberts, or even Alito for that matter.” Robert Kuttner has this essay online at The American Prospect.

Online at The Weekly Standard, John Hinderaker has an essay entitled “Progressivism’s Alamo: Why stare decisis has become so important to the liberal project.”

And online at Reason, Matt Welch has an essay entitled “Executive Assistant: Alito flunks the most pressing test of today and tomorrow.”

“Justices Won’t Block Suit Against Agents”: The Associated Press provides this report.

In memoriam: Senior Circuit Judge Theodore McMillian of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit has died. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch provides this news update.

In 1997, the Washington University Journal of Urban and Contemporary Law published a tribute to Judge McMillian. You can access the articles via this link. And in 2003, Judge McMillian’s portrait was presented to the Eighth Circuit. Notes on that ceremony are here and here.

“Some justices seem to rethink campaign-finance ruling”: Tony Mauro has this news analysis online at The First Amendment Center.

“Boston Court Approves Ending Life Support for Girl in Coma”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

The Washington Post reports today that “Comatose Girl Can Be Removed From Life Support, Court Rules.”

The Boston Globe reports that “SJC says life support can end for alleged beating victim, 11.”

And The Republican of Springfield, Massachusetts reports that “Removal of life support OK’d.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Tragic story of girl who won’t grow up.”

“Review of the Wisconsin Oral Argument”: Allison Hayward offers this interesting recap at “Skeptic’s Eye” of yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court oral argument.

Available online from National Public Radio: Today’s broadcast of “Morning Edition” contained segments entitled “Oregon Stands Alone on Assisted Suicide” (featuring Nina Totenberg); “Oregonians Welcome Assisted Suicide Ruling“; and “Domestic Spying Draws Legal Challenge.”

Yesterday’s broadcast of “All Things Considered” contained segments entitled “High Court Backs Oregon’s Assisted-Suicide Law” (featuring Nina Totenberg); “How the Assisted-Suicide Ruling Affects Doctors’ Work“; “Mass. Court Rules to Remove Girl from Life Support“; “Lawsuits Challenge U.S. Spying Program’s Legality“; and “NSA Case Plaintiff and Author James Bamford.”

And yesterday’s broadcast of “Talk of the Nation” contained a segment entitled “Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Ore. Suicide Law” (featuring David G. Savage).

RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

Alito confirmation party menu: Bill Toland has this to say today — under the heading “Neato!” — in “The Morning File” column online at The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

To the relief of approximately everybody, the Senate interrogation of Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. came to an end last week. Did you, the dutiful media consumer, our best hope for a well-informed democracy, tune in? Neither did The Morning File. That’s why we have government correspondents. They do the serious journalism, attending subcommittee hearings and interviewing senators and whatnot. The Morning File, meanwhile, gets paid to think up the menu for our Samuel Alito Confirmation Victory Party. Our appetizers would be petite Alito burritos, with refried beans and a curry-cumin salsa. The seafood dish would be Alito bonito, grilled in the Greek style, with garlic, oregano, lemon and olive oil. Served on the side, of course, would be Alito Morabito specialty bread. Snacks? Fritos and Doritos. To finish, the Alito Mojito — rum, spearmint leaves, lime, club soda and syrup. Our dinner guests will include Danny DeVito and Phil Esposito. Judge Lance Ito is, sadly, indisposed.

You can access the complete column at this link.

Chinese Starbucks name battle to be resolved in Higher People’s Court: The Shanghai Daily reports today that “Starbucks to face a new name battle.”

And The Associated Press provides a report headlined “Chinese Co. in Dispute With Starbucks” that begins, “A Chinese company locked in a trademark dispute with Starbucks has appealed a court order to change its name for sounding too similar to that of the American coffee giant, a newspaper reported Wednesday.”

I hadn’t realized that People’s Court featured an appellate component.

“Ruling to bar website upheld”: The Malaysia Star today contains an article that begins, “A disgruntled engineer who had put up a website containing several defamatory allegations against Perusahaan Otomobil Kedua Sdn Bhd (Perodua) after purchasing a Kelisa with defects failed to overturn an interim injunction order barring the site.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Court Bars Tirade on Malaysian Web Site.”

Today’s U.S. Supreme Court opinions in argued cases: The Court today issued its ruling in Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, No. 04-1144. You can access the syllabus here; Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s opinion for a unanimous Court here; and the oral argument transcript here.

The Associated Press provides a report headlined “Supreme Court Dodges Big Abortion Ruling” that begins, “The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that a lower court was wrong to strike down New Hampshire abortion restrictions, dodging a major ruling.”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Court rules on teen abortion.”

The Court today also announced opinions in two other argued cases.

In Rice v. Collins, No. 04-52, you can access the syllabus here; Justice Anthony M. Kennedy’s opinion for a unanimous Court here; Justice Stephen G. Breyer’s concurring opinion, in which Justice David H. Souter joined, here; and the oral argument transcript here.

And in Will v. Hallock, No. 04-1332, you can access the syllabus here; Justice Souter’s opinion for a unanimous Court here; and the oral argument transcript here.

“Supreme Court hears challenge to campaign law; Wisconsinites play pivotal roles in case”: This article appears today in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which also contains an editorial entitled “Don’t weaken campaign law.”

The Green Bay Press-Gazette reports today that “High court hears challenge to campaign-finance law.”

And in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Michael McGough reports that “Some Supreme Court justices seem cool to revisiting ‘issue ads.’”

Meet the new boss: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has a new chief judge, and her name is Edith H. Jones. Coincidentally, as I recently noted here, one of her colleagues on that court had an op-ed this past Sunday in The Houston Chronicle entitled “Figment of imagination: There is no constitutional right to privacy; Call a national referendum to settle the issue.”

“Democrat to vote for Alito”: This article appears today in The Washington Times. The newspaper also reports that “Pro-lifers proffer kudos to Specter” and “Kennedy quits all-male Harvard club amid criticism.”

The Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star today contains an article headlined “Nelson: I’ll vote for Alito.”

The Harvard Crimson contains articles headlined “Tribe: Alito Is Threat To Roe; Professor tells Senate that nominee would reduce 1973 ruling to ‘hollow shell’” and “Kennedy Severs Final Club Ties; Senator says he will stop paying dues to the Owl after critics claim hypocrisy.”

In The Philadephia Inquirer, political analyst Dick Polman reports that “Abortion fades as litmus test for justices.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “Anti-Alito protesters visit City Council.” And a related item is headlined “For the Alito confirmation party: Bonito, Morabito and Mojito.”

The Yale Daily News reports that “Alliance for Justice legal director keynotes Yale Political Union debate.”

And The Princeton (N.J.) Packet reports that “Alito’s sensitivity questioned by fellow Princeton University alum; Involvement with controversial Concerned Alumni of Princeton focus of talk.”

In commentary, The Providence (R.I.) Journal contains an editorial entitled “Confirm Samuel Alito.”

The Joplin Globe contains an editorial entitled “Senate should vote on Alito.”

The Louisville Courier-Journal contains an editorial entitled “A wary yes on Alito.”

In The Boston Globe, columnist Jeff Jacoby has an op-ed entitled “Musings, random and otherwise.”

In The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, columnist Paul Greenberg has an op-ed entitled “The Inquisitors.”

In The Seattle Times, Carl Jeffers has an op-ed entitled “Alito hearings reveal a process that’s broken.”

In The Philadelphia Daily News, Deborah Leavy has an op-ed entitled “Robert Bork without the beard.” And Rotan E. Lee has an op-ed entitled “Is it the end of the road for Roe?”

Finally, in The Philippine News, Lito Gutierrez has an op-ed entitled “Rooting for Alito.”

“City Can’t Bar Cell Towers on Looks Only, Court Says; La Canada Flintridge’s ban is rejected; Service providers say the ruling will help boost coverage”: The Los Angeles Times today contains this article reporting on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued yesterday.

In the brand new issue of The New York Observer: Anna Schneider-Mayerson has an article headlined “Lafsky’s Last Laugh: Secret Legal Blogger Says ‘I’m Opinionista!’”

And an article is headlined “Schumer Reports: Tough Guys Don’t Make Wives Cry.”

“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.”

“Supreme Court Upholds Oregon’s Assisted Suicide Law”: This segment (transcript with link to audio) appeared on today’s broadcast of the PBS program “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.”

Available online from C-SPAN: “Brookings Inst. Panel on Supreme Court Nomination Process” and “T.R. Goldman, Congressional Correspondent for Legal Times, discusses the Judge Samuel Aliton Supreme Court nomination” (RealPlayer required).

“Bush Urges Senate To Give Alito Fair, Quick, Unanimous Confirmation”: The Onion provides this newsbrief.

“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.”

“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.

“Supreme Court upholds state’s assisted suicide law”: Stephen Henderson of Knight Ridder Newspapers provides this report.

And Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times provides a news update headlined “Supreme Court Removes Obstacle to Assisted-Suicide Laws.”

“Swing Time: Anthony Kennedy—the new Sandra Day O’Connor.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.