In Thursday’s edition of The Washington Post: Charles Lane will have an article headlined “High Court Reviews Texas Redistricting; Hearing Focuses on Constitutional Issues.”

And Dana Milbank will have a “Washington Sketch” column headlined “The Justices Look at Some Shapely…Congressional Districts.”

Available online from law.com: Tony Mauro reports that “High Court Patent Ruling a Victory for Big Business.”

In other news, “High Court Zeroes In on Alleged Voting Rights Act Violations in Texas Redistricting Case.”

An article reports that “Federal Judge Raises Alarm Over Vacated Arbitration Awards; 6th Circuit judge says number of vacated awards constitutes a trend counter to that of U.S. Supreme Court.”

And Mike McKee has an article headlined “Solo’s Errant Spell-Check Causes ‘Sea Sponge’ Invasion; Maybe the attorney could have blamed his document’s ‘sea sponge’ invasion on his oceanside locale — or on Spongebob?”

The Dallas Morning News is reporting: Allen Pusey and Todd J. Gillman have an update headlined “Justices signal support for most redrawn districts; But many seem open to questions that two areas hurt Hispanic voters.”

And a separate news update is headlined “Exclusive: Opponent says justice copied books; Willett admits borrowing from Scalia, Bork in application for state Supreme Court.” The article begins, “Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett’s job application to the state included at least half a dozen examples of writing cribbed – without attribution – from two books by conservative legal stalwarts, the Republican’s opponent said Wednesday.”

“Mess With Texas: The Supreme Court has another look at partisan gerrymanders.” Dahlia Lithwick has this Supreme Court dispatch online at Slate.

“Alito’s Note to Evangelist Is Called Just Thanks”: This article will appear Thursday in The New York Times.

The Colorado Springs Gazette provides a news update headlined “Alito thank-you note to Dobson at center of controversy.”

The Associated Press reports that “Dobson Says Alito Sent Thank-You Note.”

And the organization People For the American Way today issued a press release entitled “Dear Dr. Dobson: Alito Shows Appalling Lack of Judgement.”

“Not a Time to Kill: Why the Supreme Court Should Outlaw Partial Birth Abortion.” Loui Itoh has this op-ed today in The Harvard Crimson.

“Court rules pro-lifers not racketeers”: This article appears today in The Washington Times.

“Supreme Court Hears Texas Redistricting Case”: This segment (RealPlayer required) featuring Nina Totenberg appeared on this evening’s broadcast of NPR‘s “All Things Considered.”

The Fifth Circuit‘s ruling today in United States v. Edwin Edwards can now be accessed online: The ruling, which I noted earlier here, can be accessed at this link.

“Abortion foes split on tactics; After years of chipping away at Roe, they weigh S. Dakota’s frontal assault”: Linda Feldmann will have this article Thursday in The Christian Science Monitor.

“Supreme Court skeptical of Democrats’ redistricting case; Justices say drawing legislative maps is always political”: The Austin American-Statesman provides this news update.

Patty Reinert of The Houston Chronicle provides a news update headlined “Justices hear Texas redistricting arguments.”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Analysis: Much of ‘DeLay map’ may survive.”

“Justices sound skeptical about tax-incentives case”: Stephen Henderson of Knight Ridder Newspapers provides this report.

“Supreme Court Makes it Harder for Competitors to Sue Over Market Power”: law.com’s Tony Mauro provides this news update.

“I urge President Bush to resolve this impasse by doing the right thing and nominating Judge Smith not for a California seat but for the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Thomas G. Nelson from Idaho.” This passage taken from the text of the prepared statement of Senate Judiciary Committee ranking Democratic member Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) at today’s judicial confirmation hearing (which I previewed here earlier today) appears to overlook that there’s already a nominee for Judge Nelson’s seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

“Supreme Court Limits Suits Against Patent Holders”: David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times provides this news update.

“Google nudes: A porn site’s lawsuit is bad news for the search phenom, but may be good news for companies that produce content.” Marc Gunther has this news analysis online at Fortune.

“Supreme Court Weighs Texas Redistricting”: Gina Holland of The Associated Press provides this updated report.

Reuters is reporting: James Vicini reports that “Court considers Ohio tax credit for Jeep plant.”

And in other news, “Court reverses product-tying doctrine.”

“Alleged rape victim won’t have to view tape”: The Chicago Tribune provides a news update that begins, “A Cook County judge today backed off from his threat to send a woman to jail if she refused to view a videotape of her alleged rape, CLTV reported.” The print edition of that newspaper reported today that “Woman ordered to watch videotape; Contempt, dismissal possible in rape case.”

And The Chicago Sun-Times provides a news update headlined “Alleged rape victim doesn’t have to watch video.” The print edition of that newspaper reported today that “Woman must view tape of alleged rape.”

“Wonkette Live”: David Lat and Alex Pareene are fielding questions now at washingtonpost.com. Thus far, no questions about whether Assistant U.S. Attorneys should blog pseudonymously without knowledge of their superiors.

“Texas Redistricting Plan Gets High Court Review”: This segment (RealPlayer required) featuring Dahlia Lithwick appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Day to Day.”

Relatedly, at National Review Online today, Edward Blum and Roger Clegg have an essay entitled “Don’t Get Your Robes Caught in the Thicket: The Court should leave gerrymanders alone.”

“New legal strategy: Show your hand early; Lawyers go to great lengths to win over the public arena as much as the court.” This article appears today in The Toronto Globe and Mail.

“Appeals court turns away ex-Louisiana governor’s latest appeal”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A federal appeals court on Wednesday turned down the latest effort by former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards to win freedom after his May 2000 corruption conviction.” The decision is not yet available online at the web site of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

“O’Connor is face of Jamestown 2007; The former Supreme Court justice is named a leader of the events marking the 400th anniversary of America’s first permanent English settlement”: This article appears today in The Daily Press of Hampton Roads, Virginia.

And earlier today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, members were “debating” a Resolution “Honoring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.”

In news from Canada: The Toronto Globe and Mail provides a news update headlined “Rothstein formally tapped for Supreme Court.”

And Canadian Press reports that “Rothstein ‘easy’ choice for top court, Harper says.”

The official announcement of the appointment can be accessed here.

The Associated Press is reporting: Gina Holland reports that “Supreme Court Weighs Texas Political Map.”

And in other news, “Justices Debate Tax Giveaways for Business.”

“Appeals court lets prayer ruling stand”: The Indianapolis Star provides a news update that begins, “The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago has denied Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma’s request for a stay of a federal judge’s ban on sectarian prayer in the House.”

The three-judge Seventh Circuit panel that considered the request for a stay voted 2-1 to deny the request and issued opinions that can be accessed here.

Senate Judiciary Committee battle between Idaho and California for a Ninth Circuit vacancy is postponed for two hours: The start time of today’s confirmation hearing for nominee N. Randy Smith has been pushed back to 4 p.m. from 2 p.m. eastern time. The Associated Press recently reported that “9th Circuit nominee creates battle between Idaho, California.”

Those U.S. Supreme Court law clerks don’t proofread like they used to: A reader emails with respect to today’s unanimous ruling that in footnote 4, on page 14 of the slip opinion, “The quotation of Lemley presumably should be ‘product,’ not ‘prodcut.'”

“Ban on abortion before House; Bill would allow exception only when mother’s health is endangered”: This article appears today in The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Mississippi.

And The Associated Press reports that “Miss. Bill to Ban Most Abortions Advances.”

“About those 1st Amendment rights, Doh!” The Chicago Tribune today contains an article that begins, “A survey released Wednesday showcases a bit of data that should surprise nobody: Americans know more about ‘The Simpsons’ than they do about the 1st Amendment.”

“Ernie the Attorney” is now also “Ernie the Solo Practitioner”: Best of luck to Ernest Svenson on his new endeavor.

Alabama sex toy litigation ends not with a bang but a whimper: The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama yesterday issued a 56-page opinion that begins, “This opinion marks the third occasion on which this court has been required to address substantive due process challenges to an Alabama statute that criminalizes the commercial distribution of ‘any device designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs.'” Yesterday’s decision upholds the law as constitutional.

The opinion, accompanied by an order entering summary judgment in favor of the State of Alabama, finally resolves the case in the trial court, although the plaintiffs have a right to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. My coverage of the Eleventh Circuit’s most recent earlier ruling in the case, from July 2004, can be accessed here.

In today’s edition of The Chicago Tribune: The newspaper reports that “Federal judges hail Lefkow’s slain kin.” The murders occurred one year ago yesterday.

In other news, an article reports that “Defiance pays off for abortion foe; Justices rule protests weren’t racketeering.”

Jill Zuckman reports that “Wisconsin’s lonely crusader fights on.”

And columnist John Kass has an op-ed entitled “Plenty of wrinkles in Anna Nicole story.”

Today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling in an argued case: Today’s lone ruling issued in the case of Illinois Tool Works Inc. v. Independent Ink, Inc., No. 04-1329. Justice John Paul Stevens delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court, except that Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. did not participate because the case was argued before he joined the Court. You can access the syllabus here; Justice Stevens’ opinion here; and the oral argument transcript here.

The Associated Press reports that “Supreme Court Rules in Printer Ink Case.”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Court defines market power on patents.”