“Lawyer Ads Cannot Tout ‘Super’ Status”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “They may be pronounced ‘Super Lawyers’ by a magazine supplement, and their names may appear in a ‘Best Lawyers in America’ directory. But under a decision by a State Supreme Court committee, these best-credentialed and best-paid New Jersey lawyers may no longer advertise those honors.”

“Farber apologizes but won’t step down; In interview, AG says she will resign only if probe concludes she should”: The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger today contains an article that begins, “Attorney General Zulima Farber yesterday apologized for going to her boyfriend’s aid during a traffic stop, but said she has no intention of resigning unless an independent investigation concludes that she should.”

And in related coverage, The New York Times today contains an article headlined “In His Hands: Attorney General’s Fate.”

“Group appeals government eavesdropping ruling”: Declan McCullagh of c|net News.com provides a report that begins, “A coalition of civil liberties groups and technology companies, including Pulver.com and Sun Microsystems, is appealing a federal court ruling that forces Internet service providers to create backdoors for government wiretapping. The coalition on Friday asked the full U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., to review a June 9 ruling that sided with the Bush administration.”

My earlier coverage of that ruling appears at this link (second item).

“Age Bias: Suit Dismissed; High-court justice’s claims are tossed out.” The Tulsa World today contains an article that begins, “A federal appeals court on Friday threw out the lawsuit of 85-year-old Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Marian Opala, who alleged that the state high court’s other eight justices discriminated against him because of his age.”

And The Oklahoman today contains an article headlined “Court dismisses discrimination suit” that begins, “The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday dismissed Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Marian Opala’s age discrimination lawsuit against his peers. Opala, 85, claimed a rule change kept him from becoming chief justice in 2005.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit at this link. Back on January 5, 2005, Adam Liptak of The New York Times had an article about the case headlined “Oklahoma Judge, 83, Files Bias Suit Against Colleagues.”

“Hatch takes up residency in Oklahoma prison; Lawyers for the Survivor winner and convicted tax evader are trying to get him moved to Rhode Island or Florida”: The Providence (R.I.) Journal today contains an article that begins, “It’s not a show, but it is reality for Richard Hatch. It’s Survivor: Oklahoma. For the first time since he was sentenced to 51 months in prison for evading taxes on his $1-million Survivor jackpot and other income, Hatch, 45, has been moved to a federal facility. He arrived several days ago at the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City, having been held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility, in Massachusetts, since his conviction in May.”

“Judge in Wecht case won’t withdraw”: Yesterday’s edition of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette contained an article that begins, “The federal judge in the criminal case against former Allegheny County Coroner Dr. Cyril H. Wecht refused to remove himself from the case yesterday. In a 58-page opinion, filled with baseball analogies and quotes from historical figures, U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab rejected the notion that he is biased in favor of the prosecution or that Dr. Wecht cannot get a fair trial.”

I have posted online at this link a copy of Thursday’s ruling of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

“Taft must release memos; Ohio Supreme Court further defines ‘executive privilege'”: The Columbus Dispatch today contains an article that begins, “The Ohio Supreme Court yesterday shot down Gov. Bob Taft’s bid to keep secret more than 200 weekly memos from advisers, but open-government advocates said the decision also contains a dark omen for people seeking records from Taft and future governors.”

The Toledo Blade reports today that “Taft papers not subject to privilege; Ohio top court says open-record laws apply.”

And The Cleveland Plain Dealer contains an article headlined “Taft records public, or are they? Court calls records public but says Taft doesn’t have to give them up.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Ohio at this link. And that court’s own summary of its ruling is headlined “Court Defines Scope of Executive Privilege, Says Dann Has All Taft’s BWC-Related Reports.”

“Appeals court to hear punch-card ballot case”: From Ohio, The Associated Press reports here that “A full appeals court agreed Friday to consider whether punch-card ballots, commonly used by voters across the country for decades, violated Ohio voters’ rights because counties could not ensure that the ballots were counted. The state asked the full 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati to consider the case after its three-judge panel upheld a lower-court ruling against the state on April 21.” My earlier coverage of that ruling can be accessed here. And Law Professor Rick Hasen, at his “Election Law” blog, has this post about the grant of rehearing en banc.

In addition, Rick is quoted in an AP article headlined “Courts more involved in election spats.”

“Court’s opinion released on electronic voting”: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review today contains an article that begins, “Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court has released a written opinion explaining the seven justices’ March ruling that allowed electronic voting statewide last spring despite a local group’s contention that voters should have decided for themselves.”

Thursday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania consists both of a majority opinion and a concurring opinion.

“Senate confirms Shepherd”: The Texarkana Gazette today contains an article that begins, “U.S. Magistrate Bobby Shepherd has more or less been hired by the U.S. Senate in an unanimous voice vote to take a seat on the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Shepherd serves as a magistrate for Southwest Arkansas’ federal courts that includes Texarkana, Ark., El Dorado, and Hot Springs. The El Dorado resident will take the seat of Justice Morris ‘Buzz’ Arnold, of Texarkana, who is retiring on Oct. 8, his birthday.”

The article goes on to note that “Shepherd is now one of four Southwest Arkansas men who have served on the 8th Circuit bench. The others were the late Chief Justice Richard S. Arnold, his brother, Morris ‘Buzz’ Arnold–both of Texarkana, and Justice Lavenski Smith, of Hope.”

“A legacy oil heir never wanted; Kin: He fought for father’s wish, not own, in estate battle with Playmate.” The Dallas Morning News today contains an article that begins, “E. Pierce Marshall hated publicity and other people’s lawyers. Yet he willingly spent the last 11 years of his life embroiled in courtroom battles for his father’s immense fortune against a pack of would-be heirs, including his disinherited brother and his attention-hungry stepmother — former stripper and reality-television star Anna Nicole Smith.”

“Kansas Church to Fight Mo. Law in Court”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A Kansas church group that protests at military funerals across the nation filed suit in federal court Friday, claiming a Missouri law banning such picketing infringed on religious freedom and free speech.”

“Abbott asks 5th Circuit to let GOP cut DeLay from ballot; Attorney general fought last spring to get him on it”: This article appears today in The Houston Chronicle.

And The Associated Press reports that “Democrats Argue to Keep DeLay on Ballot.”

“Ruling Has Texans Puzzling Over Districts”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “Once upon a time, Congressional district lines were redrawn once a decade, after each federal census. But last month the Supreme Court made it clear that redistricting could occur far more often, and the resulting sense of impermanence was on display this week in a weather-beaten house on this city’s Hispanic, working-class South Side.” And a related graphic can be viewed at this link.

The San Antonio Express-News reports today that “State’s fix for Dist. 23 gets cool response.”

And in related news, The Austin American-Statesman reports that “State defends proposed congressional map; Splitting Austin among 3 Republicans called unavoidable.”

“After 2 years, same-sex marriage icons split up; Were plaintiffs in landmark case”: This article appeared yesterday in The Boston Globe.

The New York Times reports today that “Same-Sex Marriage Plaintiffs Separate.”

The Los Angeles Times reports today that “The Relationship Is Over for a Pair of Gay Pioneers; The two women at the center of Massachusetts’ landmark marriage ruling have separated.”

The Washington Times reports that “Gay ‘marriage’ first couple splits up in Massachusetts.”

And The Times of London reports that “First US gay couple to marry have broken up.”

“Cellulite & Justice Newman: Flabby judgment.” Yesterday in The Philadelphia Daily News, Gar Joseph had this essay. The segment entitled “Health: Cellulite Wand” that CBS 3-TV health reporter Stephanie Stahl aired recently, featuring among others Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Sandra Schultz Newman, can be viewed via this link.

“U.S. Supreme Court Justice passes on Fenway first pitch”: The Associated Press earlier this week provided a report that begins, “Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer passed up a chance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park on Tuesday night, allowing his wife and granddaughter to instead claim the honor that a day before had been bestowed upon singer Meat Loaf.”

Additional coverage of Justice Stephen G. Breyer’s day at Fenway Park can be accessed here (third item) from The Boston Globe.

And photos from the event, featuring Justice Breyer, his wife, and granddaughter, can be accessed via this link.

“Viewing Law Blogs as a Vast Amicus Brief”: The brand new installment of my “On Appeal” column for law.com can be accessed here.

Back home: Thanks to traffic in the Minneapolis area, bad weather in the Philadelphia area, and an airplane in need of maintenance before take-off, our arrival back home was delayed quite a bit. Additional posts will appear later this morning.

Before I completely depart from the topic of this week’s Eighth Circuit Judicial Conference, it was great to hear Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr.’s inaugural remarks as Circuit Justice. Although the remarks were off-the-record given that this was a “judges-only” conference, I can report that he began his remarks with a quite funny explanation of how President George W. Bush’s first two appointments to the U.S. Supreme Court demonstrated that the issue President Bush was most concerned about was approval of proposed Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 32.1.

I must also report that one of the particular pleasures of being in Brainerd, Minnesota over the past few days for my wife and me was getting to meet Mrs. Alito, whom we both found to be most wonderful.

Programming note: After Circuit Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. delivers his remarks late this morning concluding this week’s Eighth Circuit Judicial Conference, my wife and I will be traveling home to the Philadelphia region from Brainerd, Minnesota. Additional posts will appear online this evening.

For those who are curious, the subject of next Monday’s installment of my “On Appeal” column for law.com will be “Viewing Law Blogs as a Vast Amicus Brief on the Internet.” The column is based on a portion of the remarks that I delivered yesterday at the Judicial Conference. The essay should become available online late tonight.

“Beirut Violence Strands Defense Lawyers in Padilla Case”: law.com provides this report.

“U.S. Loses Bid to Dismiss AT&T Surveillance Suit”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Spying suit against AT&T moves forward.”

The New York Times reports that “Judge Declines to Dismiss Privacy Suit Against AT&T.”

The Washington Post reports that “Judge Declines to Dismiss Lawsuit Against AT&T.”

And The San Jose Mercury News reports that “Phone records lawsuit to proceed; S.F. ruling a setback for White House on warrantless wiretaps.”

My earlier coverage appears at this link.

“Federal court sticks by decision on pot guru; New trial for Rosenthal warranted under panel’s ruling”: Josh Richman has this article today in The Oakland Tribune.

“Gorsuch confirmed for 10th Circuit”: The Denver Post contains this article today.

And The Rocky Mountain News reports today that “Denver native OK’d for appeals court.”

“Senate confirms Arkansan to federal appellate bench; Shepherd zips through process without opposition”: This article, in which I am quoted, appears today in The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

And The Associated Press reports that “El Dorado magistrate confirmed to federal appeals post.”

“Va. Killer Executed by Electric Chair”: The Associated Press provides this report.

And The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that “Mother’s Day killer executed; He was the first in three years to die in Va.’s electric chair.”

“Award Against Ford Cut Again; A court reduces the amount to be given to a woman left paralyzed after a rollover accident to $82.6 million”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Ford suit damages reduced to $82 million.”

And The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that “Jury’s award in rollover cut in half; But Ford’s request for new trial fails.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of California’s Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District, Division One, at this link.

“Determining When to Use Technology for Oral Arguments; Superior Court judge weighs in on the trend away from face-to-face arguments”: Richard B. Klein, a judge on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, has this essay online at law.com.

“Lawyers spar on denial Conte was leak; Prosecutors argue paper lost any right to protect source”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “The Justice Department, which wants two Chronicle reporters to identify their source for grand jury testimony about steroids and sports, is arguing that the reporters forfeited any right to keep the source confidential by revealing in legal papers that it wasn’t Victor Conte, the founder of the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative.”

“Washington high court justice says gay marriage ruling imminent”: The Associated Press provides this report.

“White House Shifts Tack on Tribunals; Bush to Propose Only Minor Changes”: Today’s edition of The Washington Post contains this article, along with an article headlined “Detainees Used Al-Qaeda Prison Manual, Report Says.”

“Killer slated to die tonight; Hedrick would be first executed in Virginia’s electric chair in 3 years”: This article appears today in The Richmond Times-Dispatch.

And The Washington Post reports today that “Barring Reprieve, Va. Inmate to Die in Electric Chair; In Rare Move, Inmate Chooses Chair Over Injection.”

“Frist Hails Continued Progress on Judicial Nominees”: The U.S. Senate‘s Majority Leader issued this press release late today. According to the press release, the Senate late today “confirmed Neil M. Gorsuch to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, Bobby E. Shepherd to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit.”

“Portrait of a Blogger: Under 30 and Sociable; Survey Finds Need to Connect With Family and Friends and to Meet New People.” The Washington Post contains this article today. The survey that is the subject of the report can be accessed here.

“Lesbian Judge Fights Chilean Court for Taking Her Children”: This article appears today in The New York Times.