“Should we close Guantanamo?” Yesterday’s edition of The Chicago Tribune contained this editorial.

“A Last Chance to Make a Case; Closing arguments in the Enron trial may use outside issues to undermine credibility”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Republicans Seek to Revive Their Activists; Amid Bush’s Low Ratings, Party’s Midterm Plan Focuses On Court Nominees, Social Issues”: Jeanne Cummings has this article (free access) today in The Wall Street Journal.

“Former Clerks’ Signing Bonuses Rival Salaries on the High Court”: Charles Lane has this article today in The Washington Post.

“Blair Weighs Move to Limit Courts’ Power in Rights Laws”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “Prime Minister Tony Blair says he is contemplating changes in Britain’s human rights laws, limiting the power of courts to challenge the government, after a paroled rapist killed a woman and a judge refused to send several hijackers back to their country.”

“Uighurs in Albania”: Joanne Mariner has this essay online at FindLaw.

“Blawg Review #57”: Available here, at “Lawyerlike.”

“Divided Justices Resume Hearings; Split In Supreme Court Mirrors California Case”: Today in The Hartford Courant, Lynne Tuohy has an article that begins, “The state Supreme Court Monday resumes hearing cases for the first time since the revelation last month that former Chief Justice William J. Sullivan secretly held up release of a controversial ruling to help his protege, Justice Peter T. Zarella, succeed him as chief justice.”

“The Enron trial: Time to wrap it up and boil it down; Both sides have just a few hours to refresh jurors’ minds and sum up a 15-week trial.” This article appears today in The Houston Chronicle.

“Washington Sniper’s Defense Plan Emerges”: The Associated Press provides this report.

“It’s the Jury’s Turn: Enron chiefs Lay and Skilling placed a big bet on themselves by taking the stand; Will it pay off?” This article will appear in the May 22, 2006 issue of U.S. News & World Report.

“Justice Department Asks U.S. Judge to Dismiss AT&T Suit; Possible damage to national security is cited in the case related to domestic eavesdropping; Negroponte’s office and the NSA join in request”: The Los Angeles Times contains this article today.

And yesterday in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko had an article headlined “U.S. moves in secret to quash suit against AT&T; Privacy group says firm gave records to surveillance program.”

The federal government’s motion to dismiss can be accessed here, while additional information about the lawsuit is available via this link.

“Sniper defense dwells on minutiae; Muhammad’s strategy called ‘meaningless'”: This article appears today in The Baltimore Sun.

“Israel’s High Court Upholds Marriage Law”: The Washington Post provides a news update that begins, “Israel’s high court upheld a law Sunday that sharply restricts the rights of Palestinians married to Israeli spouses to live inside Israel.”

The Jerusalem Post provides a news update headlined “Court rules to uphold Citizenship Law.”

And Haaretz provides a news update headlined “Court narrowly upholds ‘family reunification’ ban.”

“4th Circuit nomination may face problems; N.C. judge Boyle faces questions of conflict; Luttig muddies plans”: This article appeared yesterday in The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

“Fill the court vacancies”: The Washington Times today contains an editorial that begins, “The recent decision by 4th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge J. Michael Luttig to resign will create yet another vacancy on the appellate bench. Even before Judge Luttig announced his decision last week, the White House and the Senate had been moving at a snail’s pace filling these empty slots, which now account for more than 10 percent of all circuit court judgeships. Considering the high stakes, this laggard pace is incomprehensible.”

“Justice charged with violations; Judicial panel serves notice on Nuss in flap over lunch talk”: This article appears today in The Topeka Capital-Journal, along with an article headlined “Judges have been taken to woodshed, removed in past.”

The Wichita Eagle today contains an article headlined “Investigator: Justice violated ethics rules.”

And The Lawrence Journal-World contains articles headlined “Justice faces ethics probe; Meeting with senators could result in court disciplining judge” and “Lawrence lawyer brought complaint against judge.”

On last Saturday’s broadcast of C-SPAN‘s “America & the Courts“: “The Second Circuit Court of Appeals hears oral arguments in Brendan MacWade v. Raymond Kelly in New York City. The court decides if New York City police can randomly search subway riders’ bags or if the searches violate a constitutional right against unreasonable search and seizure.” You can view the program by clicking here (RealPlayer required).

“High Court Faces Deadlines on Big Cases”: Gina Holland of The Associated Press provides this report.

“Court Asks if Residency Follows Inmates Up the River”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

“Death case appeals hit by forgery allegations; Defense investigator may have faked many sworn statements”: Claire Cooper, legal affairs writer for The Sacramento Bee, today has this article in that newspaper.

“Senate targets local FBI agents; Judiciary panel opens probe into possible perjury related to Luna case”: The Baltimore Sun today contains an article that begins, “The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee has opened a probe into whether FBI agents in Baltimore committed perjury during the investigation into the mysterious death of federal prosecutor Jonathan P. Luna in 2003.”

“Lewinsky Case’s Prosecutor Accused Of Stalking Woman”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

And yesterday, The New York Times reported that “Ex-Prosecutor Is Accused of Stalking.”

“U.S., Citing State Secrets, Challenges Detainee Suit”: Neil A. Lewis has this article today in The New York Times.

And The Washington Post reports today that “Secrecy Privilege Invoked in Fighting Ex-Detainee’s Lawsuit.”

“Legal Saga Ends for Man Who Hired Wife’s Killer”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “Bringing an end to a legal odyssey that spanned two decades, a New Jersey prosecutor on Friday said that he would no longer pursue the death penalty for Robert O. Marshall, whose conviction for arranging the murder of his wife inspired a best-selling book and a television miniseries.”

And The Newark Star-Ledger reports today that “Prosecutor won’t retry penalty phase of Marshall case; Plotter of wife’s killing could be paroled in 8 years.”

“Moussaoui Begins Serving Life Sentence”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “Convicted Sept. 11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui on Saturday began serving his life sentence at the nation’s most secure prison after U.S. marshals flew him overnight from Virginia to Colorado.”

Available online from law.com: An article reports that “State Officials Appeal to Fla. Supreme Court on Attorney Fee Caps.”

And the brand new installment of my “On Appeal” column is headlined “Exaggerations Plague Debate Over Need for Judicial Inspector General.”

“126 MPH Jaunt Leads to Jail; Man Gets 12 Days for Sprint on GW Parkway”: The Washington Post today contains an article that begins, “A Georgetown University law student who was trying to impress his girlfriend admitted yesterday that he cranked up his new Infiniti to 126 mph on the George Washington Memorial Parkway — among the highest speeds ever clocked on the stretch of federal road.” The article’s final paragraph states that “The conviction should not affect [the law student’s] eligibility to be a lawyer.”

“Justice Sandy: Five simple rules for discussing judicial independence.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

A racially derogatory comment made by a co-worker in the immediate aftermath of the arrest of the DC-area snipers does not equate to a racially-hostile work environment: A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued this decision today.

“Moussaoui Appeals Judgment and Sentence”: The Associated Press provides this report. You can view the notice of appeal at this link.

“Federal judge freezes Saudi’s war-crimes trial”: The Miami Herald provides a news update that begins, “A federal judge this morning ordered the Pentagon to freeze a Saudi captive’s war-crimes trial at Guantanamo Bay Navy Base, Cuba — until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether President Bush’s Military Commissions are constitutional.” You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia at this link.

“Court Considers Wealth As Asylum Claim”: The AP provides a report that begins, “A federal appeals court has ordered an immigration board to consider whether some Guatemalans could qualify for asylum over fear of persecution for being rich.” You can access Tuesday’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit at this link.

The Associated Press is reporting: Now available online are articles headlined “Kan. Justice Accused of Improper Talks” and “U.S. Argues to Block Suit Against CIA.”

“Are Federal Judges’ Salaries too Low?” Ilya Somin has this post at “The Volokh Conspiracy.”

Update: Also available now is a follow-up post titled “Judicial Pay Part II – The Non-Salary Benefits of Being a Federal Judge.”