“Supreme Court Refuses to Hear Torture Appeal”: Linda Greenhouse of The New York Times provides this news update.

“Rendition: High court refuses to hear the claims of a German man who says he was abducted and tortured by the CIA.” This audio segment (RealPlayer required) appeared on today’s broadcast of the public radio program “Here & Now.”

“Justice Is…Mute: With the opening of the Supreme Court’s new term this week, Jeffrey Toobin’s recently published book might help shed light on the inner workings of the notoriously tight-lipped nine.” This segment (transcript with links to audio) appeared on last Friday’s broadcast of NPR’s “On The Media” (via “LawBeat“).

“Punishing Clarence Thomas”: Sunday in The San Diego Union-Tribune, columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. had an op-ed that begins, “The confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas may be the ultimate Rorschach test. Americans look back at what transpired in that Senate hearing room in October 1991 and see what they want to see.”

And today at Human Events Online, columnist Thomas Sowell has a two-part essay (access part one and part two) that begins, “It would be hard to think of anyone whose portrayal in the media differs more radically from the reality than that of Justice Clarence Thomas.”

“New York Times U.S. Supreme Court correspondent to speak at U of M Law School”: The University of Minnesota today issued a news release that begins, “Linda Greenhouse, long-time U.S. Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times, will give the University of Minnesota Law School’s Horatio Ellsworth Kellar Distinguished Visitors Lecture for 2007. It will be presented at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22, in Willey Hall Auditorium (Room 125), 229 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis. This event is free and open to the public.”

“Bush Admin., Texas Wrangle Over Death Penalty Case; Supreme Court to Examine State Sovereignty Fight Over Mexican National on Death Row”: Ariane de Vogue has this report at ABCNews.com.

“LBJ talks of Thurgood Marshall, Vietnam in taped conversations”: The Associated Press provides this report.

Access online the transcripts of today’s U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments: You can now access the transcripts in Watson v. United States, No. 06-571, and Stoneridge Investment Partners, LLC v. Scientific-Atlanta, Inc., No. 06-43.

“Foul Ball Case Goes to Nevada Supreme Court”: The Associated Press provides this report.

“Case Pits Texas Against International Court”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) featuring Dahlia Lithwick appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Day to Day.”

“Chief U.S. justice questions 3rd-party lawsuits”: Reuters provides this report.

“Supreme Court won’t hear the appeal of apparent CIA victim”: David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times provides a news update that begins, “The Supreme Court today refused to give a hearing to a German man who says he was wrongly abducted, imprisoned and tortured by the CIA in a case of mistaken identity.”

And Robert Barnes of The Washington Post provides a news update headlined “Court Declines Case of Alleged CIA Torture Victim.”

“In a twist, high court case sets Bush against Texas; A Mexican national’s death sentence will have Supreme Court justices sorting out US treaty obligations, federal vs. state powers, and World Court rulings”: Warren Richey will have this article Wednesday in The Christian Science Monitor.

“Skeptical Court Considers Investors Case”: Pete Yost of The Associated Press provides this report.

Dow Jones Newswires reports that “Key Justices Resist 3rd-Party Liability In Securities Suits.”

And MarketWatch reports that “Supreme Court hears securities fraud case; Outcome could affect Enron investors’ ability to sue.”

“We must decide the proper burden of proof to be borne by the removing defendant when plaintiffs move to remand the case to state court and their complaint alleges damages less than the jurisdictional threshold for diversity cases but does not specify a total amount in controversy.” So begins an opinion that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued today. Circuit Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain wrote both the opinion of the court, noting that the Ninth Circuit has employed three arguably conflicting tests, and a concurring opinion, explaining which approach he views as best.

Is California’s statutory rape law, which makes it a crime to engage in intercourse with a minor who is under 16 years of age when the perpetrator is 21 years of age or older, categorically a crime involving moral turpitude? By a vote of 2-1, today a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued this ruling answering “no.”

“No big threat to investment houses”: At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston provides this recap of today’s U.S. Supreme Court oral argument in Stoneridge Investment Partners v. Scientific-Atlanta, No. 06-43.

“Mukasey Backs Special Courts for Terror Suspects”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

“Court to hear gay divorce argument”: The Providence Journal today contains an article that begins, “The state Supreme Court will hear arguments this morning in Rhode Island’s first same-sex divorce case.”

“Supreme Court to Examine Scope of Investor Rights; Case Could Decide Whether Investors Can Pursue Firms That Aided Enron-Like Fraud”: Ariane de Vogue has this report at ABCNews.com.

And on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” Nina Totenberg had an audio segment entitled “Supreme Court Weighs Third Parties in Fraud” (RealPlayer required).

“Court grants no new cases, turns down CIA case”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

Mark Sherman of The Associated Press reports that “Court Rejects Alleged CIA Kidnap Victim.”

And Reuters reports that “Top court won’t hear appeal in CIA torture case.”

You can access today’s U.S. Supreme Court Order List at this link.

“Error in major case tied to federal judge nominee”: The Virginian-Pilot today contains an article that begins, “Two years ago, someone made a huge mistake at the Virginia Supreme Court — a clerical error that cost a client a chance to win an $8 million appeal.”

According to the article, “It was a simple goof — someone forgot to file a trial transcript — but it caused the Supreme Court to throw out an appeal of an $8 million jury verdict. The lead attorney for that appeal was E. Duncan Getchell Jr., who has been nominated by President Bush for a judgeship on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Richmond.”

“Handling of obscenity cases disputed; A Justice task force tackles small producers of porn’s most extreme content; Conservative groups say it’s not enough and many prosecutors say it’s a waste of time”: The Los Angeles Times contains this article today.

“Newspapers, bloggers now on same page; Journalistic websites see amateur scribes as partners, not rivals; They increase coverage and may share revenue”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Democrats Seem Ready to Extend Wiretap Powers”: The New York Times contains this article today.

“A First-Class Civil Rights Lesson: Stamp Commemorates Early Latino Victory Against Segregation.” This article appears today in The Washington Post. You can view the postage stamp by clicking here (large image file).

“The Public’s Right to Know”: Today’s edition of The New York Times contains an editorial that begins, “Efforts to enact a federal shield law for journalists have passed a critical milestone in the Senate.”

“Political Parties, Under Challenge, Seem to Have Justices’ Sympathy”: Robert Barnes has this article today in The Washington Post.

“Sex Case to End After Defendant’s Suicide”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “Prosecutors plan to dismiss the case against a federal prosecutor who committed suicide in a Michigan prison after being accused of traveling there from Florida to have sex with a 5-year-old girl, the authorities said Monday.”

And The Detroit News reports today that “Autopsy details lawyer suicide; Questions remain about death of man indicted in sex sting who hung sheet from shower head.”

“Judge fighting subpoena to testify; He presided over terror trial in which ex-prosecutor is accused of obstructing”: The Detroit News today contains an article that begins, “A Detroit federal judge is trying to stop the U.S. Justice Department from forcing him to testify in the criminal trial of former federal prosecutor Richard Convertino, which begins today. U.S. District Judge Gerald E. Rosen, who presided over the 2003 terrorism trial in which Convertino is accused of obstructing justice, filed a motion Friday to quash a government subpoena requiring him to testify at Convertino’s trial.”

Yesterday’s newspaper, meanwhile, reported that “Terrorism prosecutor now is defendant.”

And The Detroit Free Press reported yesterday that “Prosecutor to go on trial over conduct in terror case; Jury to decide whether he hid evidence.”

“Recovered Emails Bedevil Qualcomm in Court”: The Wall Street Journal contains this article today.

“Big-Money Battle Pits Business vs. Trial Bar; Supreme Court Case Could Open More Firms To Lawsuits Over Fraud”: This front page article appears today in The Wall Street Journal. In addition, SEC Commissioner Paul Atkins has an op-ed entitled “Just Say ‘No’ to the Trial Lawyers.”

And Pete Yost of The Associated Press reports that “High court to hear securities fraud case.”

“The justice run amok”: Today in The Boston Globe, columnist Derrick Z. Jackson has an op-ed that begins, “The bitterness in Clarence Thomas makes you wonder if he ever can realize that he won.”

And today in The Wall Street Journal, Law Professor John Yoo has an op-ed entitled “The Real Clarence Thomas: His fidelity to the Constitution often leads to results liberals like.”

Available online at law.com: An article reports that “Sports-Injury Plaintiffs Strike Out at Texas Appeals Court.” The ruling consists of both a majority opinion and a dissenting opinion.

And Shannon P. Duffy reports that “$3 Million Verdict Reinstated for Real Estate Brokerage That Sued Its Lawyer, Insurer.” You can access Friday’s ruling of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania at this link. As I noted in this post on Friday, I served as co-counsel on appeal for plaintiffs-appellants and argued this appeal on their behalf.

“Investors ask Supreme Court to sanction claims”: Michael Doyle of McClatchy Newspapers provides a report that begins, “Investors will confront corporations on Tuesday when the Supreme Court considers the highest-profile business case of the year.”

Investor’s Business Daily reports that “Supreme Court Set To Hear Major Case On Securities Lawsuits Vs. Third Parties.”

CNBC.com reports that “Supreme Court Hears Landmark Investor Suit.”

Reuters provides a report headlined “Lifting the Lid-Top US court weighs scope of fraud suits.”

This evening’s broadcast of the public radio program “Marketplace” contained an audio segment entitled “Court to hear Enron shareholders’ case” (transcript with link to audio).

Financial Times contains an item headlined “Lawyer liability.”

And online at law.com, Richard A. Booth has an essay entitled “In ‘Stoneridge,’ the Supreme Court Should Focus on Who Really Gains.”