“Again, whose ox is Gore-d?” Today in The Indianapolis Star, columnist Dan Carpenter has an op-ed that begins, “Judging by last week’s hearing and the makeup of the U.S. Supreme Court, a partisan election law should win a partisan victory for the Indiana GOP and their eager brethren everywhere. I’ve taken to calling America’s most onerous voter ID requirement the RRPP — Rokita’s Republican Protection Plan — in light of the obvious motive behind it and the readily foreseeable results. A textbook example of a solution in search of a problem, Secretary of State Todd Rokita’s ‘ballot security’ brainchild makes it harder for low-income citizens to vote without offering a single case of in-person voter fraud as justification for the abridgment. This means the demand for a specific state-issued ID is accomplishing two things: policing illegal activity that wasn’t happening anyway; and discouraging participation by people more likely to vote Democratic than Republican.”

“Courting justice”: The Register-Guard of Eugene, Oregon today contains an article that begins, “Two mismatched tables form a desk around a thrift-store-quality office chair in the chambers of Oregon Supreme Court Justice Martha Walters. It is clearly a place where the work trumps the trappings of prestige, power and pride.”

“California Supreme Court’s financial conflicts doom appeal”: The Associated Press provides this report.

“Lawyers say city, zoo on shaky legal ground if tiger victims sue”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “In the eyes of the law, keeping a caged tiger is like hauling dynamite or storing uranium – an activity so dangerous that even the most careful proprietor is responsible for any injuries to bystanders.”

“Prisoner’s lawsuit says it was too easy to escape; He fell and hurt himself while trying to rappel down the side of a Colorado jail; He blames his injuries on inadequate security”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

I have posted online at this link a copy of the complaint that the plaintiff’s counsel filed initiating suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado.

“Bush administration backs gun regulation; A D.C. ban on home handguns may not be constitutional, the solicitor general tells the Supreme Court, but rights are limited and federal firearm restrictions should be upheld”: David G. Savage has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

“SCOTUSblog” has posted the Solicitor General’s amicus brief at this link.

“Arrest of ‘Chubs’ Is Before High Court”: Pete Yost of The Associated Press provides this report.

“Prosecutor Who Unraveled Corruption in Boston Turns to C.I.A. Tape Case”: Neil A. Lewis has this article today in The New York Times.

“$190,000 for 2 trials, 3 years is inadequate, lawyer says; Defense attorneys group says others may avoid capital cases over pay”: The Houston Chronicle today contains a front page article that begins, “A veteran Houston lawyer who defeated the government’s attempt to secure a death sentence against his client in two smuggling cases has refused to accept a payment that he considers inadequate for his services. Craig Washington, who was appointed to represent truck driver Tyrone Williams in two federal trials involving the 2003 deaths of 19 illegal immigrants, said he will not cash two checks totaling $190,000 that he was paid for his first three years working on the case.”

“Kent talks of personal struggles; But judge says he’ll wait to tell his side against the allegations of misconduct”: The Houston Chronicle contains this front page article today.

And The Galveston County Daily News today contains an article headlined “Federal court’s future unclear” that begins, “Will the Galveston federal court be a federal court in name only?”