Merely using a name that belongs to someone other than yourself in the commission of bank fraud may not suffice to establish the federal criminal offense of aggravated identity theft: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued this ruling today.

“California Ruling Against Home-Schoolers Causes Stir”: Mark Walsh has this post today at “The School Law Blog” of Education Week.

“Cameras In The Courtroom Bill Approved By Senate Panel”: At his “Washington Briefs” blog, Lawrence Hurley of The Daily Journal of California has a post today that begins, “The Senate Judiciary Committee today passed out a bill that would allow TV coverage of all federal courts.”

“DIA keeps Wi-Fi on the mild side”: Yesterday’s edition of The Denver Post contained an article that begins, “Want to browse Vanity Fair magazine on the Denver airport’s free Wi-Fi system? Sorry. You’ll have to buy it at the newsstand, because DIA’s Internet filter blocks Vanity Fair as ‘provocative.’ You can’t get to the popular gossip column perezhilton.com on DIA’s Wi-Fi signal, either. Or the hipster-geek favorite boingboing.net. Or the Sports Illustrated swimsuit photos, even though the magazine’s bare-breasted cover shot is on prominent display at airport stores, right next to Penthouse and Hustler.” (Via “Obscure Store.”)

“Key Figure in Wiretapping Suit Goes Public”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit now has a web page for those who like to access the internet using mobile devices: Why use your BlackBerry or similar devices to read blogs that summarize noteworthy Seventh Circuit rulings when you can now access those rulings directly over your mobile device?

The Seventh Circuit’s new page for mobile access can be found at: http://www.ca7.uscourts.gov/mobile.htm.

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issues ruling in case captioned Robert Steinbuch v. Jessica Cutler: Blog law and personal jurisdiction aficionados once again have cause to rejoice. The three-judge panel’s unanimous opinion issued today begins, “Robert Steinbuch brought this action against Jessica Cutler and several corporate entities for invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress arising from the publication by Hyperion Books of Cutler’s sexually explicit novel and the potential development of a future television series based on it.”

The ruling reverses the dismissal of Steinbuch’s claim against Hyperion Books and remands for additional discovery relating to the propriety of exercising personal jurisdiction over that defendant.

“Friends, Montco file Barnes’ briefs; oral arguments next”: Yesterday, The Main Line Times of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania posted online an article that begins, “Meeting a deadline Feb. 29, the Friends of the Barnes Foundation and Montgomery County each filed briefs asking Orphan’s Court Judge Stanley Ott to set aside objections raised by the world-renowned art gallery and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and reopen the case of its proposed move from Merion to Philadelphia. Oral arguments in the matter are scheduled to begin in Norristown March 24.”

“Ex-senator’s legal tactics spurned”: Today’s edition of The Washington Times contains an article that begins, “Retired Sen. Mark Dayton has been trying to shield himself from a lawsuit by a former congressional aide by using a legal defense so unusual that it has alienated his former colleagues and been scorned by the courts.”

“Gun debate draws nation”: The Washington Times today contains an article that begins, “The District’s interim attorney general yesterday said the city’s Supreme Court fight to maintain its 30-year-old ban on handguns has prompted hundreds of organizations and individuals to throw in their two cents.”

“A new tack for gay rights; Lawmakers weigh granting couples limited benefits”: This article appears today in The Baltimore Sun.

Today in The Washington Post, Metro columnist Marc Fisher has an essay entitled “Md. Senator at a Loss for Words Over Same-Sex Marriage Bill.”

And The Los Angeles Times contains an article headlined “Same-sex union — it’s personal: As the high court considers the legality, couples who wed in the Bay Area savor the joy of the institution.”

“Another alleged bin Laden driver charged”: Today in The Miami Herald, Carol Rosenberg has an article that begins, “A Pentagon official on Wednesday formally approved charges against another Guantanamo captive who allegedly worked as a driver and bodyguard for Osama bin Laden — this time a Sudanese man.”

And today in The Los Angeles Times, Carol J. Williams reports that “Another Guantanamo prisoner charged with war crimes; An alleged former aide to Osama bin Laden is the 13th detainee at the U.S. military prison to be indicted.”

“Abortion foes peddle ideology”: This editorial appears today in The St. Petersburg Times.

“Swiss bank drops suit against Wikileaks site”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “A Swiss bank dropped its lawsuit Wednesday against the whistle-blowers Web site Wikileaks after stirring up a free-speech furor over a judge’s order, now rescinded, to shut down the site for allowing the posting of private bank documents. Julius Baer & Co. filed a brief notice of dismissal in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, saying it reserves the right to pursue its case at a later date in the same court or elsewhere.”

The organization Electronic Frontier Foundation has posted the dismissal notice at this link.

“Senators seek to cancel easing of cross-ownership; Tribune Co. and other companies with newspapers and broadcast stations in the same city are expected to fight legislation that seeks to invalidate a recent FCC ruling”: Jim Puzzanghera has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

“FBI Chief Confirms Misuse of Subpoenas; Security Letters Used to Get Personal Data”: Dan Eggen has this article today in The Washington Post.

The Los Angeles Times reports today that “FBI says warrantless wiretapping lasted until 2006; Director Robert S. Mueller says reforms intended to curb the use of national security letters to gather data have started working.”

And The New York Times reports that “F.B.I. Says Records Demands Are Curbed.”

“Secure Lawsuits: A Senate bill would allow civil liberties challenges to secret government operations.” This editorial appears today in The Washington Post.

“Death penalty costs Md. more than life term”: Today’s edition of The Baltimore Sun contains an article that begins, “The death penalty has cost Maryland taxpayers at least $186 million more in prosecuting and defending capital murder cases over two decades than would have been spent without the threat of execution, according to a study to be released today.”

And The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports today that “Governor vetoes gun measures; Bills aimed to increase types of crimes eligible for the death penalty.”

“For High School Students, Some Justice; Supreme Court’s Roberts Pays a Visit to Walt Whitman”: Robert Barnes has this article today in The Washington Post. The newspaper reprints some of the questions and answers in this sidebar.

“AutoAdmit defendant sues Yalies; Former director of legal chatroom seeks damages from Law School students for libel, abuse of process”: The Yale Daily News contains this article today.

“Ector County trustees settle Bible lawsuit; Committee will be formed to create new curriculum”: This article appears today in The Midland (Tex.) Reporter-Telegram.

The New York Times reports today that “District to Settle Bible Suit.”

And yesterday, the ACLU issued a news release headlined “Texas School Board Agrees To Stop Teaching Unconstitutional Bible Class In Public Schools.”

“In Trial, Alaska Says Lilly Concealed Risks of a Schizophrenia Drug”: The New York Times contains this article today.

The Associated Press provides a report headlined “State: No Alerts on Zyprexa Side Effects.”

Meanwhile, in local coverage, The Anchorage Daily News reports today that “State claims drug maker hid data; Zyprexa risks weren’t disclosed by Eli Lilly, lawyer says.” And yesterday’s newspaper contained an article headlined “Millions of dollars at stake in Zyprexa trial; State is suing Eli Lilly for not publicizing risks of mental health drug.”

“Gay Marriage Gains Notice in State Court”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

And The New York Sun reports today that “Same-Sex Couples Could Gain Domestic Violence Protections.”

“More judges, prosecutors at risk; 69% increase in threats since 2003”: Today’s edition of USA Today contains an article that begins, “Threats against federal judges and prosecutors are on pace to rise for the fifth consecutive year, according to statistics from the U.S. Marshals Service.”

“Former trooper fired for KKK ties to argue for job back”: The Omaha World-Herald today contains an article that begins, “Nebraska’s public policy against racism should bar reinstating a state trooper who joined a group affiliated with the Ku Klux Klan, a state attorney told the Nebraska Supreme Court on Tuesday. Private citizens are free to think what they want and free to join racist groups, Assistant Attorney General Thomas Stine told the court. But the state has the right to set terms of employment for state troopers.”

And The Associated Press provides this report on yesterday’s oral argument.

Yesterday, the Office of the Attorney General of Nebraska issued a news release headlined “Attorney General’s Office Presents Oral Arguments in Former Trooper Tied to KKK Case.”

“District of Columbia Makes Last Pitch Before Supreme Court Appearance in Gun Ban Case”: The Associated Press provides this report.

“State court to revisit definition of school threat; Student convicted in 2005 claims his actions were not terrorism; prosecutor says planning attack also counts”: The Detroit News today contains an article that begins, “The Michigan Supreme Court today is expected to review whether Andrew Osantowski committed an act of terrorism when he threatened a Columbine-style massacre at his high school.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Michigan Supreme Court weighs if terrorism includes threats.”

“Scalia brings wit, originalist views to Missouri”: This article appears today in The Columbia (Mo.) Daily Tribune.

The Kansas City Star reports today that “Scalia criticizes ‘living Constitution.’”

And The Muleskinner of The University of Central Missouri reports that “Justice Scalia says Constitution isn’t a ‘living’ document; must be interpreted as framers intended.”

“Big Business’s Big Term: Victories for the Chamber of Commerce at the Supreme Court.” Doug Kendall has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

The Associated Press is reporting: An article headlined “Court Skeptical of Passenger Rights Law” begins, “A federal appeals panel seemed impatient Wednesday with arguments supporting the first law in the nation requiring airlines to provide food, water, clean toilets and fresh air to passengers trapped in a plane delayed on the ground.” The case was argued today before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

And in other news, “Judge Wants to Resolve Indian Lands Case.”

“The Failure of Bowles v. Russell”: Law Professor Scott Dodson has posted this article (abstract with links for download) at SSRN (via “Legal Theory Blog“).

“GOP planning for new battle on nominees”: The Hill today contains an article that begins, “Senate Republicans plan to take a more confrontational approach with Democrats on judicial nominees, hoping parliamentary tactics and the bully pulpit of their presidential nominee will break a logjam over the politically volatile issue.”

And Politico.com has an article headlined “Nominations staredown in the Senate.”

The District of Columbia has today filed its reply brief in the Second Amendment case now pending before the U.S. Supreme Court: Via “SCOTUSblog,” you can access the reply brief at this link.

“In Case That Could Well Be Taken Up by the Supreme Court, Sixth Circuit Rejects Rule Limiting Basis for Payments to Initiative Circulators”: Law Professor Rick Hasen has this post at his newly redesigned “Election Law” blog.

My earlier coverage of today’s Sixth Circuit ruling appears at this link.

Thirteen million page views: According to this blog’s Site Meter hit counter, within the past hour “How Appealing” exceeded the thirteen million page view mark. Just last month, on February 19, 2008, the number of visitors to “How Appealing” passed the seven million mark. Thanks for visiting!