“Sources: Retired judge may replace Gonzales.” CNN.com provides a report that begins, “A retired federal judge is a leading candidate to replace Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, whose last day on the job was Friday, two sources familiar with the search for a successor told CNN on Saturday. Michael B. Mukasey, 66, was nominated to the bench in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan, and was chief judge until September 2006 for the Southern District of New York — a high-profile U.S. court district that’s one of the nation’s busiest.”

And The Associated Press provides a report headlined “Scrutiny for Possible AG Nominee” that begins, “Conservatives on Saturday lined up for and against potential attorney general nominee Michael Mukasey, the man they believe has ascended to the top of President Bush’s list of replacements for Alberto Gonzales.”

“Va. High Court Breaks New Ground on Tree Liability”: This front page article appears today in The Washington Post.

And The Associated Press reports that “Ruling in tree dispute is voided; Va. Supreme Court reverses precedent, orders new trial.”

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

“Hearing delay could extend ban on executions; Decision by a federal judge means the court’s ban on executions could stretch to two years; He plans to visit the new death chamber”: Henry Weinstein has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Judge wants more time to study new injection procedure for inmates.”

And in The San Jose Mercury News, Howard Mintz reports that “Executions still on hold; Judge will visit new death chamber, hold more hearings.”

“Bikers win another chance to argue for their free-speech rights”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

And today in The San Jose Mercury News, Howard Mintz reports that “Court agrees to reconsider garlic-festival decision.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Ninth Circuit order granting rehearing en banc can be accessed here.

“Primed for a Voting Rights Act overhaul: A Texas lawsuit seeks to show that ’60s-era oversight is no longer needed.” Edward Blum has this op-ed today in The Los Angeles Times.

“An epic fight for one man’s clemency: Phillip Emmert, was serving 27 years for a first-time drug offense; He had no chance of a pardon but his supporters tried anyway.” This lengthy article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

“In Turnaround, Industries Seek Regulations”: The New York Times on Sunday will contain an article that begins, “After years of favoring the hands-off doctrine of the Bush administration, some of the nation’s biggest industries are pushing for something they have long resisted: new federal regulations.”

“Who’s Afraid of Voter ID?” This editorial appears today in The Wall Street Journal.

“Bush Administration Aiming To Ease Surveillance Concerns”: The Washington Post today contains an article that begins, “The Bush administration, facing withering criticism over its temporary foreign intelligence wiretap law, has launched a campaign to assure Democratic lawmakers that the law will not result in domestic surveillance without a court order, and at the same time it has indicated that it is willing to consider changes.”

“UCI reportedly working on a deal to rehire Chemerinsky; Days after the legal scholar was rejected as law school dean, talks are in progress; He is noncommittal”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.