“Detainee Abu Zubaydah Denies Al-Qaida Ties”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

“Workers who missed lunch breaks entitled to back pay, court says”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “California employees who are forced to work through their lunch breaks scored a major legal victory Monday when the state Supreme Court ruled that they are entitled to back wages of an hour a day for as long as three years. The unanimous ruling in the case of a San Francisco clothing store employee applies to thousands of workers in pending class-action suits against their employers. It may also help 116,000 present and past Wal-Mart employees in California preserve a $172 million damages award against the retail giant.”

And The Los Angeles Times reports today that “Employees win major ruling on pay regulations.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of California at this link.

“Ex-aide contradicts Gonzales; The former chief of staff reportedly tells Senate investigators the attorney general did recall discussing with Bush a U.S. attorney who was later fired”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

The Hartford Courant reports today that “O’Connor Steps Up As Gonzales Faces Grilling; New Chief Of Staff Is Trusted Adviser.”

The Washington Post contains an editorial entitled “Beyond Mr. Gonzales: Who really needs to ‘lay out on the record’ what led to the firings of U.S. attorneys.” John Podesta has an op-ed entitled “The Truth Congress Is Owed.” And columnist Richard Cohen has an op-ed entitled “The Face of Opportunism.”

In USA Today, Ross K. Baker has an op-ed entitled “Friends in high places: One might ask why President Bush doesn’t simply ask Alberto Gonzales to walk the plank; Yet Bush is the latest in a line of presidents who let loyal staffers hang on longer than is good for the administration — or the country.”

In The Chicago Tribune, Patrick M. Collins has an op-ed entitled “Prosecutors owe loyalty to the public.”

And in The Boston Globe, columnist Peter S. Canellos has an essay entitled “Government workers’ private e-mails need some safeguards.”

“Justices reject case of firing after slur complaint; High court turns down a black computer technician’s appeal; He had objected to a co-worker’s comment”: David G. Savage has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Potential jurors quizzed in Padilla terrorism trial; Jury selection began in the Jose Padilla terrorism trial, a process that could plod along for at least three weeks before opening arguments”: This article appears today in The Miami Herald.

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports today that “Padilla jury selection starts; Potential jurors grilled about Islam.”

The New York Times reports that “Trial Opens in Florida for Padilla and 2 Others.”

And The Washington Times reports that “Judge allows mention of 9/11 in terror trial.”

“Government Loses on Aipac Secrecy Bid”: The New York Sun today contains an article that begins, “Dealing a blow to the government, a federal judge yesterday rejected an unprecedented prosecution proposal that would have kept secret large portions of a trial against two pro-Israel lobbyists.”

The Harvard Law Record is reporting: The current issue of that publication contains articles headlined “Dred Scott Reconsidered” and “Milkey Breaks Down Mass. v. EPA Argument.”

“Globe writer wins Pulitzer for national reporting; Signing statements series gets honor”: The Boston Globe today contains an article that begins, “Charlie Savage of The Boston Globe yesterday won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting, for a series of stories about President Bush’s greatly expanded use of ‘signing statements,’ which he attached to laws passed by Congress to assert his authority to disregard them.”

“Hinckley Seeking Longer Furloughs; With Parents Aging, Siblings Say They’d Take Larger Role”: The Washington Post contains this article today.

“Bush administration seeks to expand surveillance law; Bill would permit more spying on foreigners in USA”: This article appears today in USA Today.

And The New York Times today contains articles headlined “Bush Allies in Congress Block Bill That Would Require Intelligence Disclosures“; “Detainee Denies Membership in Al Qaeda“; and “Briton Criticizes U.S.’s Use of ‘War on Terror.’”

“Three Cheers for Lawyers: Don’t think a good defense attorney matters? Think again.” Law Professor Randy E. Barnett has this op-ed (free access) today in The Wall Street Journal.

“Kamehameha waits for court’s list on Monday”: The Honolulu Advertiser today contains an article that begins, “The U.S. Supreme Court won’t likely rule until Monday at the earliest on whether it will accept the legal challenge against the Kamehameha Schools’ Hawaiians-first admission policy. The high court yesterday refused to accept about 200 to 300 cases, but it did not list the challenge by an unnamed non-Native Hawaiian teenager among them, according to the teenager’s lawyer, Eric Grant of Sacramento.”

“Floyd Abrams May Stand By Raoul Felder’s Side”: The New York Sun today contains an article that begins, “A First Amendment lawyer, Floyd Abrams, said he would consider providing legal counsel to a celebrity divorce lawyer, Raoul Felder, whose satirical new book has ignited an effort to oust him from his position as chairman of the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct.”

And The New York Post reports today that “Raoul defiant; Refuses Gov’s demand to quit.”

My earlier coverage appears at this link.

“Employers grapple with medical marijuana use; Ethical, liability issues rise as more states make it legal”: This article appears today in USA Today.

“Case could have lasting effect on school sports; At issue: Rules set by athletic associations.” Joan Biskupic has this article today in USA Today.

“Supreme Court Refuses To Take Up Al-Arian Case”: Josh Gerstein has this article today in The New York Sun.

“Must Employers Who Cover Prescription Drugs Cover Contraception? The EEOC’s Position, the Courts’ Recent Rulings, States’ Limited Coverage, and the Need for a New Federal Statute.” Joanna Grossman has this essay today at FindLaw.

“Ex-Aide Says Gonzales Discussed Firings”: This article will appear Tuesday in The New York Times.

And Tuesday’s edition of The Washington Post will report that “Senate Delays Gonzales Testimony on Firings; After Slayings at College, Judiciary Panel Moves Session on Prosecutors to Thursday.”

Available online from law.com: An article reports that “Calif. Justices Give Employees a Break on Wage Claims.”

In other news, “N.Y. Judicial Conduct Commission Throws the Book at Chairman-Author; Commission votes ‘no confidence’ in Raoul Felder due to statements in book co-authored with comedian Jackie Mason.” My earlier coverage appears here.

And an article reports that “Suit Over N.Y. Rules on Lawyer Advertising Goes to Trial.”

In Tuesday’s edition of The Christian Science Monitor: An article is headlined “US attorney furor: no end in sight.”

And in other news, “Wild salmon win respite in US court; Federal judges threaten to breach dams if the government has no recovery plan.”

“Court won’t consider libel law in ‘Howling Pig’ case”: The Rocky Mountain News provides an update that begins, “A University of Northern Colorado student investigated for publishing a satirical online journal may be eligible for damages from the assistant district attorney who approved a search warrant for the student’s Ault home, a federal appeals court ruled today. But the three-judge panel of the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals said it will not consider whether Colorado’s criminal libel statute is unconstitutional because prosecutors announced shortly after searching his home that they would not file charges against Thomas Mink, author of the journal ‘The Howling Pig.'”

You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit at this link.

My earlier coverage of this case appears at this link. Also available online is earlier coverage of the case from “The Volokh Conspiracy” and “InstaPundit.”

“What Next in the U.S. Attorneys Scandal? What to look for after Gonzales testifies.” National Review Online posted this essay by Byron York early today.

“Consenting Adults: The next frontier in the legal battle over abortion is whether women need protection from themselves.” Sarah Blustain has this essay online at The American Prospect.

“Supreme Court rejects appeal in racial-slur case”: David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times provides this news update.

Available online from National Public Radio: Today’s broadcast of “Day to Day” contained audio segments entitled “Jury Selection Begins in Padilla Trial” and “U.S. Terrorism Cases: Beyond Jose Padilla.”

And this evening’s broadcast of “All Things Considered” contained an audio segment entitled “Senate Panel Postpones Gonzales Appearance.”

RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

“Nifong ignores clues from DNA tests; The SBI tests are no help, so Mike Nifong turns to a private lab; The results there? ‘He was not happy with it,’ says his former campaign manager.” This article — part three in a five-part series, appears today in The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina. Parts one and two remain available online.

Charlie Savage wins the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting for his articles on Presidential signing statements: You can access the series of articles at this link. The New York Times provides this list of the “2007 Pulitzer Prizes for Journalism.” Congrats, Charlie!

“Court Wrangles With Overtime Pay”: The Associated Press provides this report.

At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Tony Mauro has a post titled “The Footman Cometh.”

And at “PrawfsBlawg,” Ethan Leib has a post titled “Oral Argument in Coke.”

“Standard for excluding jurors: Argument 4/17/07.” Lyle Denniston provides this oral argument preview at “SCOTUSblog.”

Access online the transcripts of today’s U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments: The transcript in Long Island Care at Home, Ltd. v. Coke, No. 06-593, can be accessed here.

And the transcript in Powerex Corp. v. Reliant Energy Services, Inc., No. 05-85, can be accessed here.

The Associated Press is reporting: Now available online are articles headlined “Gonzales Hearing Postponed” and “Jury Selection Begins for Jose Padilla.”

“This case strikes an unprecedented blow at the core of Fourth Amendment protections.” So writes Circuit Judge Harry Pregerson, dissenting from the Ninth Circuit‘s denial of rehearing en banc today in Sanchez v. County of San Diego. Eight judges note their dissent from the denial of rehearing en banc. A total of seven judges joined in Judge Pregerson’s dissent, while Circuit Judge Alex Kozinski notes that he dissents from the denial of rehearing en banc for the reasons explained in Circuit Judge Raymond C. Fisher‘s dissent from the original three-judge panel’s ruling.

My earlier coverage of the three-judge panel’s ruling appears here, while The San Diego Union-Tribune’s coverage of that ruling can be accessed here. By a vote of 2-1, the panel rejected a constitutional challenge to San Diego County’s welfare eligibility program, requiring all welfare applicants to consent to a warrantless home visit as a condition of eligibility.

“Padilla Judge: 9/11 OK for Trial Mention.” The AP provides this report.

“Court Won’t Review Inmate’s Letter Case”: The Associated Press provides this report.

“Poll: Most Say Politics Motivated U.S. Attorney Firings.” The Washington Post provides this news update. The underlying data from the Washington Post-ABC News poll can be accessed here.