“Experts Analyze Supreme Court Free Speech Rulings”: This segment (transcript with links to audio) featuring Walter Dellinger and Richard Garnett appeared on this evening’s broadcast of the PBS program “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.”
“Whose Opinion is Controlling in Hein? (Part One of Two).” David Stras has this interesting post at “SCOTUSblog.” I think David’s answer is correct.
In Tuesday’s edition of The Washington Post: Robert Barnes will have a front page article headlined “5-4 Supreme Court Weakens Curbs on Pre-Election TV Ads; Ruling on McCain-Feingold Law Opens Door for Interest Groups in ’08.”
Charles Lane will have an article headlined “Court Backs School On Speech Curbs; A 5-4 Majority Cites Perils of Illegal Drugs In Case of the ‘Bong Hits 4 Jesus’ Banner.”
And an article will report that “Justices Quash Suit Over Funds For Faith Groups.”
Linda Greenhouse is reporting: Tuesday in The New York Times, she will have articles headlined “Vote Against Banner Shows Divide on Speech in Schools” and “Justices Reject Suit on Federal Money for Faith-Based Office.”
And Tuesday’s newspaper will also contain an article by Linda Greenhouse and David D. Kirkpatrick headlined “Justices Loosen Ad Restrictions in Campaign Law.”
“Supreme Court: Decision Stands for Anna Mae He; The Court Won’t Intervene in the Bitter Custody Battle over 8-Year-Old Girl.” ABC News provides this report.
And The Associated Press reports that “Supreme Court Refuses Tenn. Custody Case.”
“Fairness in Affirmative Action in Schools: Roberts Supreme Court Poised to Rule On Controversial Racial Issue.” ABC News correspondent Jan Crawford Greenburg provides this written report.
“No $54 Million for Missing Pants, Judge Rules”: The New York Times provides this news update.
And ABC News reports that “Judge Rules in Favor of Dry Cleaners in $54 Million Pants Lawsuit; Dry Cleaners Will Not Have to Pay Anything to Their Disgruntled Customer.”
Available online from National Public Radio: This evening’s broadcast of “All Things Considered” contained audio segments entitled “Supreme Court Rules on Free-Speech Cases” (featuring Nina Totenberg) and “Court Allows Transfer of EPA Authority to States.”
And today’s broadcast of “Talk of the Nation” contained audio segments entitled “Supreme Court Rules Against Teen in Speech Case” (featuring David G. Savage) and “Millions for a Pair of Pants? Judge Says No!”
RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.
“Supreme Court rejects political ads curbs”: Patti Waldmeir of Financial Times provides this report.
Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor is reporting: In Tuesday’s issue of that newspaper, he will have articles headlined “Court restricts student expression; The Supreme Court ruled Monday that school officials retain discretion to censor student speech that they believe may encourage illegal drug use“; “Court clips campaign-finance law; In a 5-to-4 ruling, the Supreme Court justices say Wisconsin issue ads did not violate McCain-Feingold act“; and “Taxpayers can’t sue over faith-based initiatives; A White House program to aid religious groups in providing social services survives a court test.”
Reuters is reporting: James Vicini has articles headlined “Student loses ruling over ‘Bong Hits 4 Jesus’“; “Court allows certain issue ads before elections“; and “Court: taxpayers can’t sue on faith-based plan.”
And in related coverage, “U.S. Supreme Court to review Medtronic case” and “Supreme Court won’t review tamoxifen case.”
Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News is reporting: He has articles headlined “High Court Limits Student Speech in ‘Bong Hits’ Case“; “Campaign Ad Limits Loosened“; and “Bush’s Faith-Based Programs Win Shield at Top Court.”
“Appeal Heard in Verizon-Vonage Case”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A judge suggested a possible compromise in a patent dispute between Internet phone carrier Vonage and Verizon Communications that would allow Vonage to continue signing up new customers while it modifies its technologies. Judge Timothy B. Dyk, part of the three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, made the remark during oral arguments Monday.”
You can download the audio of today’s oral argument of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit via this link (66.2MB mp3 file).
“High Court Signals Rightward Tilt”: Mark Sherman of The Associated Press provides this report.
Over the dissent of six judges, the Ninth Circuit denies rehearing en banc of three-judge panel decision that set aside one count of conviction of “Millennium Bomber” Ahmed Ressam: You can access today’s order denying rehearing en banc, and accompanying dissent, at this link.
“Rulings From the High Court”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) featuring Lyle Denniston appeared on today’s broadcast of the public radio program “Here & Now.”
“Supreme Court Rejects Election Ad Restrictions”: law.com’s Tony Mauro provides this news update.
“The Conservatives Crush”: This afternoon’s part three of Slate’s “A Supreme Court Conversation” version of “The Breakfast Table” featuring Walter Dellinger and Dahlia Lithwick can be accessed here.
“High Court Hands Down Free-Speech Rulings”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) featuring Dahlia Lithwick appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Day to Day.”
Michael Doyle of McClatchy Newspapers is reporting: He has articles headlined “High court rules schools can curb student free speech“; “Campaign rules voided by Supreme Court“; and “Justices protect President Bush’s faith-based initiatives.”
David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times is reporting: He has news updates headlined “Justices rule against student in ‘bong hits’ case; School principals may punish those who display signs that advocate drug use, the high court says in a narrow decision limiting free-speech rights” and “High court ends ban on corporate-funded campaign ads.”
“WRTL: Big Win for Campaign Finance Deregulation.” Law Professor Rick Hasen has this post at his “Election Law” blog.
In news updates from The Washington Post: Charles Lane reports that “Court Tightens Limits on Student Speech.”
And Robert Barnes reports that “Supreme Court Allows ‘Issue Ads’ Near Elections.”
“‘Bong Hits for Jesus’ case limits student rights”: Bill Mears of CNN.com provides this report.
“Dry Cleaner Wins in Missing-Pants Case”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A judge on Monday ruled in favor of a dry cleaner that was sued for $54 million over a missing pair of pants in a case that garnered international attention and renewed calls for litigation reform.”
And The Washington Post provides a news update headlined “Plaintiff in Pants Suit Gets Nothing; Ruling for Dry Cleaner May Spell Bigger Woes for D.C. Judge Roy Pearson.”
Update: Via WSJ.com’s “Law Blog,” you can access both the trial court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law and judgment in the case.
Today’s U.S. Supreme Court Order List and opinions in argued cases: At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Court decides endangered species, religion, student speech, campaign finance cases; four new grants.”
Today’s first opinion in an argued case issued in National Assn. of Home Builders v. Defenders of Wildlife, No. 06-340. You can access the opinion here and the oral argument transcript here. Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. delivered the opinion of the Court in the case, which was decided by a 5-4 margin. Justices John Paul Stevens and Stephen G. Breyer issued dissenting opinions.
The second opinion in an argued case issued in Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc., No. 06-157. You can access the opinion here and the oral argument transcript here. Justice Alito announced the judgment of the Court on behalf of a three-Justice plurality. Justice Antonin Scalia issued an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which Justice Clarence Thomas joined. The remaining four Justices dissented in an opinion by Justice David H. Souter.
The third opinion in an argued case issued in Wilkie v. Robbins, No. 06-219. You can access the opinion here and the oral argument transcript here. Justice Souter issued the opinion of the Court in the case, which was decided by a 7-2 margin.
The fourth opinion in an argued case issued in Morse v. Frederick, No. 06-278. You can access the opinion here and the oral argument transcript here. The Chief Justice delivered the opinion of the Court.
The fifth and final opinion in an argued case issued in Federal Election Comm’n v. Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc., No. 06-969. You can access the opinion here and the oral argument transcript here. The Chief Justice delivered the opinion of the Court.
You can access today’s Order List at this link.
And in early news coverage, The Associated Press reports that “Student Free-Speech Rights Defined“; “Court Nixes Suit Over Faith-Based Plan“; “Court Loosens Limits on Election Ads“; “Business Prevails in Environmental Case“; and “Court Turns Down Pharmaceutical Case.”
The Court will next issue opinions in argued cases on Thursday, June 28, 2007, which is expected to be the final day for the issuance of opinions this Term.
Available online from law.com: An article is headlined “N.Y. Governor: ‘Judges Should Know Better’ Than to Sue for Raise.”
And this week’s installment of my “On Appeal” column is headlined “How Binding Is a Federal Appellate Court’s Prediction of State Law?”
“Blinded by the law: Teen sex case shows that focusing on the letter of the law doesn’t always spell justice.” Yesterday in The Chicago Tribune, Radley Balko had an op-ed that begins, “Earlier this month, a Georgia judge threw out the 10-year prison sentence of 21-year-old Genarlow Wilson.”
“Case puts lethal injection on trial”: This article appears today in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“An abuse of power deepens”: The St. Petersburg Times today contains an editorial that begins, “One of the more troubling ways President Bush has abused the power of his office is through his profligate use of bill-signing statements.”
“Pushing the Envelope on Presidential Power”: The Washington Post today contains a front page article that begins, “Shortly after the first accused terrorists reached the U.S. naval prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Jan. 11, 2002, a delegation from CIA headquarters arrived in the Situation Room. The agency presented a delicate problem to White House counsel Alberto R. Gonzales, a man with next to no experience on the subject.”
“Media, DA decried in Manzanares death; Ethics questioned in coverage of stolen laptop case”: The Rocky Mountain News today contains an article that begins, “The death of Larry Manzanares has raised several sharp ethical questions about the news media and prosecutors for the way the case against the former Denver judge and city attorney was filed and covered. Several friends and colleagues of Manzanares blamed the media in general, and the Rocky Mountain News in particular, for what they felt was sensational treatment of the fact that pornography was discovered on a stolen state court laptop computer found in his possession.” In addition, columnist Tina Griego has an op-ed entitled “Sadness, anger reflect enormity of this loss.”
And The Denver Post reports today that “Family, friends mourn lawyer; Gathering at the park.”
“4th Circuit Vacancies: Nominees needed fast.” Law Professor Carl Tobias has this op-ed today in The National Law Journal.
“Bench Marks: The Supreme Court’s looming legitimacy crisis.” Online today at The New Republic, Benjamin Wittes has this essay.
“A Judge at the Plaintiff’s Table Tips the Scales”: Today in The New York Times, the new installment of Adam Liptak‘s “Sidebar” column begins, “Chief Justice Robert R. Thomas of the Illinois Supreme Court has lately been disqualifying himself from hearing libel cases. That is probably because he is a libel plaintiff himself, one who not long ago won a $7 million verdict against a little newspaper in the Chicago suburbs, The Kane County Chronicle, circulation 14,000.”
My most recent earlier coverage of this matter, including a link to access the newspaper’s federal court lawsuit against the Chief Justice of Illinois, can be accessed here.