“For Justices, Another Day on Detainees”: Linda Greenhouse will have this article Monday in The New York Times.

“Carefully Plotted Course Propels Gun Case to Top”: Adam Liptak will have this “Sidebar” column in Monday’s issue of The New York Times.

“The Secret Circuit: The Little-Known Court Where the Rules of the Information Age Unfold.” Bruce D. Abramson has written this book about the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

And today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Joshua Spivak has a book review entitled “‘Secret Circuit’ describes world of U.S. patent court.”

“Lawsuit Against Intel Stalls; An Illinois judge dismissed a ruling approving a class-action lawsuit over Pentium speeds”: IDG News Service provides a report that begins, “Intel had a legal reprieve Thursday when an Illinois judge threw out a state appeals court ruling that would have launched a nationwide class-action lawsuit against the company over Pentium 4 processors. The Illinois Supreme Court reversed the decision of the appeals court, which had said the suit could go forward. The action accused Intel of misrepresenting the speed of Pentium 4 processors.”

You can access last Thursday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Illinois at this link.

Available online from National Public Radio: Today’s broadcast of “Weekend Edition Sunday” contained an audio segment entitled “High Court Revisits Guantanamo Detainee Rights” featuring Nina Totenberg.

And yesterday evening’s broadcast of “All Things Considered” contained an audio segment entitled “Witness Identities Withheld in Guantanamo Trial.”

RealPlayer is required to launch these audio segments.

“High Court made right decision in grandparents’ rights case”: The Sauk Valley Newspapers today contain an editorial that begins, “Fair-minded Illinois grandparents should not take Thursday’s Illinois Supreme Court ruling as anything other than what it is – an affirmation that the rights of responsible parents can’t be trumped by something called ‘grandparents’ rights.'”

You can access last Thursday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Illinois at this link.

“What’s a fair sentence for Jose Padilla? The Al Qaeda recruit asks the court to weigh his torture allegations; The US calls conditions in the brig ‘irrelevant.'” Warren Richey will have this article Monday in The Christian Science Monitor.

“Tug of War Over Gitmo; Key cases this week signal the strain over prisoners’ rights”: Emma Schwartz will have this article in the December 10, 2007 issue of U.S. News & World Report.

“We’re All Journalists Now: Yes, the media aren’t winning public favor these days; But when we limit their freedom, we undermine everyone’s.” Tom Keane has this essay in today’s issue of The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine.

“Supreme Court not off the hook; Calls come for investigation into changing of bar exam grades”: This article appears today in The State of Columbia, South Carolina.

And, somewhat relatedly, the newspaper also reports today that “Screening to begin to replace retiring Supreme Court justice.”

“High court considers access suit; Justices will decide by Dec. 10 whether to take case”: The Anchorage Daily News today contains an article that begins, “Papa Pilgrim may be going to prison, but his lawsuit is going to the Supreme Court. On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court will discuss whether to hear the case brought by the family of Robert Hale over access to their remote homesite inside Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. A decision on whether the case will be accepted is due Dec. 10.”

“Staring down the barrel”: Today in The Boston Globe, Law Professor Cass R. Sunstein has an op-ed that begins, “The Second Amendment to the Constitution says that ‘the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.’ Now that the Supreme Court has agreed to interpret the amendment, gun advocates are asking: What could be plainer? But the Second Amendment is anything but plain. Indeed, no other provision of the Bill of Rights remains nearly so mysterious.”

And in today’s edition of The Allentown Morning Call, Daylin Leach has an op-ed entitled “Second Amendment allows gun control.”

“Litigation compounds disaster; Notes from a survivor of the Exxon Valdez oil spill”: Riki Ott has this op-ed today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

“Won’t shave until he gets a raise; Straniere notes judges haven’t had a pay hike in nine years”: The Staten Island Advance today contains an article that begins, “Staten Island may become its own judicial district, and may get a new courthouse complex, but Acting Supreme Court Justice Philip Straniere isn’t touching a razor until New York state judges get a raise.”

“Lethal counsel — Texas sentences more people to death than any other state in America, and the emotional toll on its defence lawyers is so great that many only ever work on a handful of cases; Not so Jerry Guerinot; He’s defended 39 men and women; The bad news: 20 have been sentenced to death; Is he incompetent, or does he just get the ‘hardest cases’?” David Rose has this lengthy article in today’s issue of The Observer (UK) Magazine.

“Texas reaches milestone: 25 years, 405 execution.” The Fort Worth Star-Telegram contains this article today, along with an item headlined “Questions, answers about the death penalty.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “The long green mile of the death penalty,” and columnist Bob Ray Sanders has an op-ed entitled “The first to die by injection.”

The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger reports today that “Stage is set for fight over death penalty.”

The Dallas Morning News contains an editorial entitled “The Myth of Deterrence: Death penalty does not reduce homicide rate.”

And today in The New York Times, Brigid C. Harrison has an op-ed entitled “Death to Capital Punishment.”

“High-stakes decision: The U.S. Supreme Court ponders this week when injured patients can sue medical device makers.” This article appeared yesterday in The Pioneer Press of St. Paul, Minnesota.

And The Minneapolis Star Tribune today contains an article headlined “Medtronic will face high court; Can patients sue med-tech companies in state court over devices approved by the feds? Many will watch Tuesday’s appeal.”

“Power Struggle to Control Ancient Bones”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “Scientists hoping to study the ancient skeleton known as Kennewick Man are protesting efforts that they say could block them from examining one of the oldest and most complete set of bones ever found in North America.”

“Waging the war on child porn; Prosecutors enlist help to track abusers, halt Web images”: This front page article appears today in The Houston Chronicle.

“US says it has right to kidnap British citizens”: The Sunday Times of London contains an article that begins, “America has told Britain that it can ‘kidnap’ British citizens if they are wanted for crimes in the United States. A senior lawyer for the American government has told the Court of Appeal in London that kidnapping foreign citizens is permissible under American law because the US Supreme Court has sanctioned it.”

“Ziegler too tarnished, should resign as justice”: Today in The Capital Times of Madison, Wisconsin, Diane Everson has an op-ed that begins, “This is a first for Wisconsin. It is unprecedented for a Supreme Court justice to be accused of violating the state’s code of judicial ethics.”

And Thursday in The Oshkosh Northwestern, Carol McDonald had an op-ed entitled “Judge not fit to serve on state Supreme Court.”

“State’s top court won’t remove Nichols judge”: This article appears today in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“Professor faults way Kansas picks Supreme Court justices”: The Kansas City Star contains this article today.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports today that “Judicial selection process criticized.”

And Friday’s edition of The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that “Professor seeks to change judicial selection process.”

“Supreme Court justice coming to Chapman University; Clarence Thomas will speak and sign his new book”: This article appeared Friday in The Orange County Register. The visit will occur December 17th.

“Pledge fight to return to S.F. courtroom; Atheists object to ‘under God’ phrase”: Howard Mintz has this article today in The San Jose Mercury News.

Michael Newdow is scheduled to argue the appeal on Tuesday before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The panel assigned to hear the appeal will consist of Circuit Judges Stephen Reinhardt and Carlos T. Bea and Senior Circuit Judge Dorothy W. Nelson.

Judge Reinhardt, of course, was on the earlier three-judge Ninth Circuit panel that held the inclusion of “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional with respect to school children, and he joined in that ruling. Neither Judge Bea nor Judge Nelson was on that earlier three-judge panel.

The federal district court’s decision that the Ninth Circuit will be reviewing can be accessed at this link. Newdow has made available via this link the documents filed in the district court and on appeal to the Ninth Circuit.

I have written extensively about the incorrect premise of the federal district court’s ruling (see my earlier posts here, here, and here) and also on the effect of the U.S. Supreme Court‘s reversal for lack of plaintiff’s standing on the precedential effect of the Ninth Circuit’s earlier ruling (see here and here).

And if that’s not enough fun for one day, that very same three-judge Ninth Circuit panel, also on Tuesday, December 4, 2007, will have the pleasure of hearing Newdow’s challenge to the use of the phrase “In God We Trust” on the Nation’s money and as the Nation’s motto. Newdow has also posted online the documents filed in the district court and the Ninth Circuit in connection with this separate case, and you can access them via this link.

“Court to review racial element in picking jury”: James Oliphant will have this article Sunday in The Chicago Tribune. According to the article, “The accusation of race-based jury selection will be aired before the U.S. Supreme Court this week in a case involving a former Jefferson Parish prosecutor who once kept a toy electric chair on his desk.”

“Court says sperm donor liable for child support”: Today’s edition of Newsday contains an article that begins, “A Nassau County man who said he donated sperm to a female co-worker as a friendly gesture — and then sent presents and cards to the child over the years — is legally considered the father and may have to pay child support for the college-bound teenager, according to a judge’s ruling.”

“Missouri man battles Washington over 2,000-year-old coins”: McClatchy Newspapers provide this report.

“Guantanamo Lawyers Say Work is Life-Changing”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Weekend Edition Saturday.”

“D.C. rally calls for ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal; An ex-soldier who hid his sexuality to avoid being discharged under the law and other opponents mark the policy’s 14th anniversary”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

“A Little Less Conversation: The wrong-headed movement to force judicial nominees to open up more in Senate confirmation hearings.” Benjamin Wittes has this essay online at The New Republic.

“Open Books: Why Supreme Court justices’ speeches are less important than oral arguments.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Jordan’s Spy Agency: Holding Cell for the CIA; Foreign Terror Suspects Tell of Torture.” This front page article appears today in The Washington Post.

“Army Pays $725 in Set-Aside World War II Case”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “A month after the Army said it made a mistake when it court-martialed Samuel Snow and 27 other black soldiers in World War II, the Pentagon has cut Mr. Snow a check for back pay, money withheld while he served a year in prison on a rioting conviction. The check was for $725. No interest. No adjustment for inflation.”

“Jurist’s status amid harassment case raises questions”: Today in The San Antonio Express-News, columnist Gary Martin has an essay that begins, “A sordid sexual harassment case involving a Texas federal judge has prompted a congressional Republican hopeful to use his campaign office to seek impeachment proceedings against the accused wayward jurist.”