“State Senate Votes To Cut Power Of Chief Justice”: The Hartford Courant today contains an article that begins, “In a rebuke of retired Supreme Court Chief Justice William J. Sullivan, a divided state Senate voted Thursday to limit the ability of future chief justices to reach outside the court for judges to decide cases.”

“Another testy day for Lay; His patience wears thin as the trial wears on”: Mary Flood has this article today in The Houston Chronicle, which also contains an article headlined “Lay’s tough side shows through; The ex-CEO has been anything but the grandfatherly foil to Jeff Skilling.”

The Los Angeles Times today contains a news analysis headlined “Surprise of Enron Trial Is Lay’s Surly Manner; Known for charm, the ex-chairman may have damaged his case with sarcasm and snippiness.”

The Washington Post reports that “Stock Sales Scrutinized In Enron Trial.”

The New York Times reports that “Enron Prosecutor Attacks Theory of 2001 Collapse.”

And USA Today reports that “Lay denies he tried to hide sale of stock; Former CEO sold those shares due to margin calls.”

In today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times: An article reports that “Detainee Defiantly Admits Charges; An indicted Saudi held at the Guantanamo Bay prison tells a war crimes tribunal he is ‘willing to pay the price, no matter what it is.’”

And an editorial entitled “The laws of madness” states, “Last week, Arizona asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow it to gut a definition of legal insanity that has been on the books since 1843.”

“Juror Illness Causes Delay In Moussaoui Deliberations”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

The Los Angeles Times reports today that “Juror’s Illness Stalls Moussaoui Trial Deliberations.”

And The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that “Moussaoui deliberations suspended; Juror who had called in sick is better; panel set to resume today.”

The next installment of my “On Appeal” column for law.com, scheduled to appear online tonight, will examine potential appellate issues in the Moussaoui case.

“No more executions in 2006; Judge delays hearing on challenge to state’s injection method”: Howard Mintz has this article today in The San Jose Mercury News.

And today in The Los Angeles Times, Henry Weinstein reports that “Executions Unlikely for Rest of Year; Federal judge orders a delay in condemned killer Michael Morales’ legal challenge to the state’s use of lethal injections.”

The Washington Post is reporting: In today’s newspaper, an article headlined “Supreme Court Barrier Denied; D.C. Rejects Anti-Terror Proposal After Neighbors’ Complaints” begins, “The D.C. government yesterday denied a request by the Supreme Court to install a pop-up barrier on a nearby Capitol Hill street after neighbors complained that the anti-terrorism device would deflect the impact of any explosion onto them.”

And in other news, “Little Is Clear in Laws on Leaks; Statutes Regarding Classified Data Called Hard to Prosecute.”

Available online from The New York Times: Today’s newspaper reports that “Judges Stress Intellectual Property in Microsoft Appeal.”

And TimesSelect subscribers can access an item entitled “Readers Respond to ‘Reining In Justice Scalia.’”

“A Day in Court: Scalia floats and Breyer rocks.” Daniel Henninger has this op-ed today in The Wall Street Journal.

“Diaz ready to go back to work”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A federal jury today acquitted Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz Jr. of Biloxi on tax evasion charges, likely ending a legal saga that has kept Diaz off the bench for more than two years.”

“He was dressed in a tan tunic: I don’t want this court, he said; The secrecy is lifted on the trials in Camp Delta as world hears defendants speak for the first time.” Friday’s edition of The Times of London contains this article.

“How judge’s secret Da Vinci code was cracked”: This article providing the answer appears Friday in The Guardian (UK).

The New York Times on Friday will contain an article headlined “Broken: The Code in the ‘Da Vinci Code’ Ruling.”

Friday’s edition of The Telegraph (UK) contains articles headlined “Sir Peter is happy to be a puzzle to most lawyers” and “Jaeiextostgpsacgreamqwfkadpmqzv (So can you crack the secret code of the Da Vinci case judge?)”

And The Times of London on Friday contains an article headlined “A nudge from the Da Vinci judge to help you to crack his code.”

“Court Upholds City Firings Over Racial Insult at Parade”: The New York Times on Friday will contain an article that begins, “The city was within its rights to fire a police officer and two firefighters after they appeared in Afro wigs and blackface on a float during a 1998 Labor Day parade in Broad Channel, Queens, a federal appeals court ruled yesterday.” My earlier coverage is here.

“Judge Reprimands Temp Prosecutor for Personal Blog”: law.com provides a report that begins, “When a temporary San Francisco prosecutor wrote on his personal blog about a misdemeanor case he was handling last December, he probably didn’t think the judge would read it.”

“N.Y. Court Upholds Giuliani Float Firings”: The Associated Press provides this report.

“Diaz found innocent on tax charges”: The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Mississippi provides a news update that begins, “State Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz was found not guilty today in U.S. District Court. He was charged with tax evasion and filing a false tax return.”

Second Circuit orders entry of judgment in favor of defendants in lawsuit brought by former New York City police officer and firefighters who were dismissed from their jobs for having participated in a Labor Day parade on a float that featured mocking stereotypes of African-Americans: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit at this link.

“Recapturing ‘Winnie-the-Pooh'”: Lyle Denniston has this post today at “SCOTUSblog.”

“Judge joins Da Vinci fun with a code of his own”: This article appears today in The Times of London.

The Guardian (UK) today contains an article headlined “Smithy’s code: new twist in Da Vinci drama; Judge’s secret message comes in italicised letters; Codebreakers set to work on cracking encryption.”

The Sun (UK) reports that “Judge does a Da Vinci.”

And BBC News reports that “Judge creates own Da Vinci code.”

“Sex ranking list of high school girls has Mt. Lebanon abuzz; Lawyer for one of the boys says it’s not a crime; lawyer for girl on list says it’s a ‘personal sexual attack'”: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today contains this article. According to the article, “At issue is whether the list, which includes grades for girls’ faces, breasts and buttocks and talks about drug use, oral sex, sexually transmitted disease and weight, constitutes criminal sexual harassment or violation of the school’s policy against sexual harassment.”

Third Circuit Judge Jane R. Roth has announced that she will take senior status effective May 31, 2006: The information is available here.

“Why we should repeal ‘don’t ask, don’t tell'”: U.S. Representative Martin Meehan (D-MA) has this op-ed today in The Boston Globe.

“Statement Of Sen. Patrick Leahy Ranking Member, Senate Judiciary Committee On The Nomination Of Brett Kavanaugh”: U.S. Senator Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) issued this statement today.

Life sentence without the possibility of parole-related humor: From a decision that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued today: “Sherrod also argues that the district court wrongly concluded that it was required to impose his two life sentences consecutively, based on its interpretation of [a section of the federal criminal code]. [I]t unclear how Sherrod would benefit if the court were allowed to consider imposing his two life sentences concurrently instead….”

“D.C.-Area Sniper’s Trial Returns to Md.”: The Associated Press provides this report.

“Who Is Juan Non-Volokh?” Eugene Volokh launches the long-awaited, pre-unmasking competition at this link. I’ll recuse myself from the competition, as I recently had the pleasure of having lunch with the individual who is Juan Non-Volokh.

Greetings from Cambridge, Massachusetts: Where it’s not quite as warm outside as it was in Philadelphia, but at least it’s just as sunny.

Programming note: Shortly I will be en route to the Boston area to participate in this conference tomorrow at the Harvard Law School.

Tonight, you can meet the conference participants at an after dinner gathering detailed here. During the conference’s lunch break tomorrow, I hope to visit Ed Whelan, who will be also be speaking at Harvard tomorrow at a separate Federalist Society sponsored event.

Eighth Circuit remands for further proceedings the claim that that the State of Missouri’s current lethal injection protocol violates the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment: You can access today’s per curiam ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit at this link.

“Moussaoui Juror Calls Out Sick”: The Associated Press provides this report. As a result, there will be no penalty-phase verdict today.

“More on the Da Vinci Code Decision Code”: The blog “Patterico’s Pontifications,” along with its readers, is attempting to break the code. There’s additional information here.

The Sacramento Bee is reporting: In today’s newspaper, legal affairs writer Claire Cooper has articles headlined “Appeal succeeds for pot activist; Outside influence on the jury affected 2003 case, the 9th Circuit determines” and “Delay sought in lethal injection case.”

In other news, “U.S. hails its Hayat strategy; But others question pre-emptive convictions of potential terrorists.”

And an article headlined “Gay rights face-off; Day of Silence spurs protests, suspensions” reports that the suspensions “may test a controversial ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week. In a 2-1 vote, the court decided schools can forbid students from wearing a shirt that demeans gay and lesbian students.”

In news from Kansas: The Topeka Capital-Journal today contains an article headlined “GOP: He said, she said; Morris offers his version of lunch talk with judge.” In addition, columnist Pete Goering has an essay entitled “Activist court to blame.”

The Lawrence Journal-World today contains articles headlined “Senator explains lunch in memo; School finance talk lasted 5 minutes, Sen. Morris says” and “Call renewed for judicial awareness; Judge’s controversial meeting with lawmakers revives interest in informing voters about bench.”

The Associated Press provides an item headlined “Senate President Steve Morris’ memorandum on Justice Nuss.”

And The Kansas City Star contains an editorial entitled “The big fuss over Nuss.”

“From Judges To Witnesses? Legislature Seeks Their Testimony In Review Of Actions Taken To Aid Rell Nominee.” This article appears today in The Hartford Courant.

Access online the agenda for this morning’s Executive Business Meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee: It is available at this link. Ninth Circuit nominee N. Randy Smith and D.C Circuit nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh are both up for consideration.

“Court tosses Guru of Ganja’s conviction; Finding of juror misconduct results in new trial for Oaklander”: Josh Richman has this article today in The Oakland Tribune.

And today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Juror’s call upends medical pot conviction; Appeals court rules advice from lawyer prejudiced case.”

My earlier coverage is here.