“A Legal Perspective on Anna Nicole Smith”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Day to Day.”

“Senate Panel OKs 9th Circuit Judge”: Lawrence Hurley has this article (free access) today in The Daily Journal of California.

“Death May Not End Anna Nicole’s Fight; Federal courts could determine fate of multimillion-dollar case”: The ABA Journal eReport today provides this coverage.

“Court Blocks Suspect’s Transfer to Iraq”: The Associated Press provides this report.

And James Vicini of Reuters reports that “U.S. prisoner in Iraq can’t be transferred, court rules.”

My earlier coverage appears at this link.

Oops, at this defendant’s federal criminal trial, they forgot to swear-in one of the key witnesses for the prosecution: And no one seemed to notice until after the witness had been excused. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit today has issued a ruling that confronts this very situation, one that thankfully doesn’t arise all that often.

“In this case we are called on, yet again, to hear a challenge to state programs restricting benefits to ‘native Hawaiians’ or ‘Hawaiians.'” So begins a ruling that a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued today in a case on remand from the U.S. Supreme Court following a GVR.

If you’ve ever wondered how they make that “Dippin’ Dots” ice cream, the answer is it’s obvious: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit today has issued this decision involving the patent for making “Dippin’ Dots” ice cream. I must admit that I’ve never found that product so irresistible that I had to try it.

“‘Ask the Author’ with Jan Crawford Greenburg: Part 3.” The third and final part of her interview at “SCOTUSblog” can be accessed here. I’m looking forward to seeing Jan and Law Professor Jeffrey Rosen speak about their new books on Tuesday evening, February 13th at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia (details here).

Free Bird: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports today that “Man sues city after being cited for ‘flip’ gesture.”

And The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports today that “Regent Square driver sues city, officer over finger-flip ‘trauma.’”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania yesterday issued a press release titled “ACLU Sues City of Pittsburgh for Violating Rights of Man Who Flipped Off Police Officer.” You can access at this link a copy of the complaint filed yesterday in federal court in Pittsburgh.

“Libby’s Defense to Begin Monday”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) featuring Nina Totenberg appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Morning Edition.”

And The Associated Press provides a report headlined “NBC’s Russert: Witness Stand Unpleasant.”

Divided three-judge D.C. Circuit panel affirms preliminary injunction barring the transfer to Iraqi authorities for trial on terrorism charges of an American citizen captured and detained in Iraq by U.S. military forces: You can access today’s ruling at this link.

Circuit Judge David S. Tatel delivered the opinion of the court, in which Senior Circuit Judge Harry T. Edwards joined. Circuit Judge Janice Rogers Brown dissented from most of the majority’s ruling. Deputy Solicitor General Gregory G. Garre argued the case in the D.C. Circuit on the federal government’s behalf.

En banc D.C. Circuit overturns D.C. Metropolitan Police Department detective’s federal criminal conviction for receiving an illegal gratuity “for or because of an official act”: You can access today’s en banc ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit at this link. The en banc court divided 7-5 over the result.

When the divided three-judge panel in this case issued its ruling in February 2006, two of the judges on the panel were senior status D.C. Circuit judges. Both chose to participate in the en banc rehearing, as is their right, and today their votes enabled the en banc majority to reach the same result that the panel majority had reached. My earlier coverage of the three-judge panel’s ruling appears here.

“Idaho’s Judge Smith could move to 9th Circuit”: This article appears today in The Idaho Statesman.

“Solomon Amendment Amelioration”: Michael C. Dorf has this post today at his blog, “Dorf on Law.”

“Army expects to retry Watada; But his lawyer plans to claim double jeopardy”: The Seattle Post-Intelligencer contains this article today.

And today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Officer to fight against retrial; Watada’s attorney cites double jeopardy; legal expert disagrees.”

“Glitz, scandal, fame, loss — and death at 39”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times. And David G. Savage reports that “Estate battle goes on in courts; The dispute between Smith and her late husband’s family is likely to continue in the name of her daughter.”

USA Today reports today that “Death won’t end legal battles; Baby’s paternity, late husband’s estate are still up in the air.”

The New York Times reports that “Anna Nicole Smith Is Found Dead in Florida.”

The Washington Post contains articles headlined “A Troubled Tabloid Life Ends in Fla.; Tawdry Fame, Controversy Shadowed Anna Nicole Smith” and “The Fantasy Of Happily Ever After; Anna Nicole Smith Stripped Marriage Of Its Illusions.”

The Associated Press reports that “Smith Left Baby, Tangled Legal Web.”

And The New York Sun contains a law-related editorial entitled “Vickie Lynn Marshall.”

“DA rejects deal to spare Nichols death sentence”: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution today contains an article that begins, “Accused Fulton County courthouse killer Brian Nichols is willing to plead guilty if prosecutors will drop their plans to seek the death penalty, but District Attorney Paul Howard has refused to negotiate, according to a court motion filed Thursday.”

“Herald asks SJC to reverse libel verdict; Panel questions writer’s actions”: The Boston Globe today contains an article that begins, “Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court justices peppered lawyers for the Boston Herald yesterday with questions about a reporter’s destruction of notes and about factual mistakes in the journalist’s work as the justices began their review of a $2.09 million libel award against the newspaper.”

And The Boston Herald reports today that “SJC hears Herald libel case: Questions focus on malice issue.”

“NBC’s Russert Wraps Up Prosecution Case in Libby Trial”: Neil A. Lewis has this article today in The New York Times. And in related coverage, “Media Censors for the Jury Let a Style Item Get Through.”

The Washington Post reports today that “Prosecution Rests Case In Libby’s Perjury Trial.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that “Prosecution rests case against Libby; A sometimes testy cross-examination of Tim Russert wraps up; The defense starts Monday.”

And The New York Sun reports that “Libby Defense Plans To Call Top Journalists to the Stand.”

“Fired Prosecutor Disputes Justice Dept. Allegation; He Calls Testimony ‘Unfair’; Meanwhile, Senate Panel Votes to Limit Attorney General’s Power”: The Washington Post today contains an article that begins, “A recently fired U.S. attorney based in Seattle said yesterday that he was told of no performance problems when he was asked to resign, and he called critical remarks by a top Justice Department official ‘unfair’ and inaccurate.”

“The A.B.A.’s Judicial Ethics Mess”: The New York Times contains this editorial today.

“Top State Judges Move To Bolster Public’s Confidence”: This article appears today in The New York Sun.

Next week, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will sit by designation with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit: You can view the oral argument calendar for next week by clicking here.

In news coverage of a case to be argued before Justice O’Connor next week, The Associated Press reports that “Prison ministry case in appeals court.”

And Washington University in St. Louis has issued a news release titled “Professor to challenge MO voting ban for all disabled adults under full guardianship before Justice O’Connor and the Eighth Circuit.”

“High court tutoring: Ex-Justice O’Connor serves as reading coach at Navajo School.” This article appears today in the Arizona Business Gazette.

Keynote participants will include Hon. Justice W. Ian C. Binnie of the Supreme Court of Canada and U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, who will discuss “Judging in a Constitutional Democracy”: McGill Reporter of McGill University contains this report today.

“Dad wasn’t dad after all, but still owes child support; A Florida Supreme Court case raises fundamental questions about the nature of fatherhood and legal responsibilities”: Warren Richey will have this article Friday in The Christian Science Monitor.

Available online from law.com: An article is headlined “Fla. Supreme Court: No Second Chance for Bar Admission.”

And in other news, “More Law Professors Consult at Firms; But moonlighting can raise red flags.”

“Alberto Gonzalez’s coup d’etat: The Constitution be damned, the attorney general has seized control of U.S. attorney appointments for partisan purposes.” Joe Conason has this essay bearing Friday’s date at Salon.com.

In the February 26, 2007 issue of The Nation: Sunil Dutta will have an essay entitled “Kill the Death Penalty.”

And Jeremy Brecher and Brendan Smith will have an essay entitled “Will the Watada Mistrial Spark an End to the War?”

“Lawyer: Court Shooting Plea Deal Nixed.” The Associated Press provides a report from Atlanta that begins, “A man accused of killing four people in a shooting rampage that began inside a courthouse offered to plead guilty to murder in order to be spared the death penalty, but a prosecutor rejected such a deal, his attorney said Thursday.”

“Prosecution Rests in Libby Perjury Trial”: The Washington Post provides this news update.

The Los Angeles Times provides a news update headlined “Prosecution rests case against Libby.”

And this evening’s broadcast of NPR‘s “All Things Considered” contained an audio segment entitled “Libby’s Attorneys Pick at Russert’s Account of Leak” (RealPlayer required) featuring Nina Totenberg.

On today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Day to Day“: The broadcast contained audio segments entitled “Mistrial Declared in War Objector Case“; “Al-Arian Refuses to Testify in Terror Case, Citing Safety“; and “Prosecutor Chronicles Kidnapping Ordeal.” RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

“Prosecution Rests in CIA Leak Case”: The AP provides this report.

“Lawyer Says Anna Nicole Smith Has Died”: The Associated Press provides this report. The photo accompanying the report shows Ms. Smith leaving the U.S. Supreme Court on February 28, 2006. My coverage of that day’s events appears here.

Ninth Circuit takes its show on the road: On February 14th, a three-judge panel will hear oral arguments at the Boalt Hall School of Law at the University of California at Berkeley, which has dubbed the event “Ninth Circuit Day.” And on February 15th, the very same three-judge panel will hear oral arguments at the Stanford Law School. The court’s news releases announcing these road trips can be accessed here and here.