“Opponents of gay marriage say they’ll sue over changed wording in Proposition 8; After a tweak by the state attorney general’s office, the initiative now seeks to ‘eliminate the right’ of same-sex couples to marry, wording that the measure’s proponents say could prejudice voters”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Bush Approves Execution Of Soldier for Murders”: The Washington Post contains this article today.

“Internal Justice Dept. Report Cites Illegal Hiring Practices”: This front page article appears today in The Washington Post. The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Justice Besmirched: How the Bush administration soiled itself.” And Jamie Gorelick has an op-ed entitled “Another Blow To Justice.”

The New York Times today contains an article headlined “Report Faults Aides in Hiring at Justice Dept.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “There Was Smoke — and Fire.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that “Sexuality bias seen at Justice Department; An internal report says alleged homosexuality was used as a litmus test in hiring and firing; Margaret Chiara, a former U.S. attorney, now thinks a false rumor cost her her job.”

The Washington Times contains an article headlined “Report finds politics in hiring; Senate panel to investigate.”

Joe Palazzolo of Legal Times has an article headlined “Report: Ex-DOJ Officials Improperly Politicized Hiring, Broke Law; Report finds political hiring was most pronounced in the case of immigration judges.”

You can access the report, titled “An Investigation of Allegations of Politicized Hiring by Monica Goodling and Other Staff in the Office of the Attorney General,” by clicking here.

“A Torture Paper Trail”: Columnist Eugene Robinson has this op-ed today in The Washington Post.

“Panel Hears of Inequities in Death Penalty; Unabomber’s Brother Is Among Witnesses Before Md. Commission”: The Washington Post contains this article today.

And The Baltimore Sun reports today that “First death penalty hearing held; Md. panel listens to evidence on disparities.”

“D.C. Is Sued Again Over Handgun Rules”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

And The Washington Times reports today that “Heller, others challenge semi-automatic ban; Plaintiffs call D.C. definition too vague, unfair to residents.”

When a lawsuit filed against multiple defendants in state court is capable of being removed to federal court, does the time for removal begin to run when the first defendant receives service of process or when the last defendant receives service of process? Addressing a question of first impression that had already produced a circuit split among other federal appellate courts, today a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held, in a decision you can access here, that the time for removal does not begin to run until the last defendant receives service of process.

Dan Levine covers the Ninth Circuit‘s Judicial Conference, now underway in Sun Valley, Idaho, at The Recorder’s “Legal Pad” blog: Thus far, Dan has posts titled “Where Kozinski Goes, So Goes Security“; “The Elephant In The Room“; “Idaho: Have A Little SCOTUS With Your Meth“; and “Things to Do in Idaho: Ninth Circuit Shindig.”

Dan’s coverage also includes photos of important people.

In other coverage, Pamela A. MacLean ofThe National Law Journal reports that “Kozinski, Facing Disciplinary Inquiry, to Keep Low Profile at Conference.” Pam writes, “Adding to the prickly situation, Beverly Hills attorney Cyrus Sanai, a Kozinski critic and the one who accessed and leaked the Kozinski Web site, obtained press credentials from the LA Weekly to cover the event.”

A look at Law Professor Barack Obama: The New York Times on Wednesday will contain an article headlined “As a Professor, Obama Enthralled Students and Puzzled Faculty.”

“Ruling clears way to begin Tiller trial”: Today’s edition of The Wichita Eagle contains an article that begins, “George Tiller will learn today when he’ll be scheduled for trial, after a judge ruled Monday that prosecutors can proceed with 19 misdemeanor charges against the Wichita abortion provider.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Judge upholds abortion law.”

You can access yesterday’s Kansas state trial court ruling at this link.

“Colorado puts brakes on license plate abbreviations”: The Rocky Mountain News on Monday contained an article reporting that “WTF” “has been added to a lengthy list of 261 three-letter combinations that the state considers verboten on the standard-issue six-character plate.”

At least in Pennsylvania, it’s still possible for an appellate law blogger to randomly have a license plate that begins with “FJC.”

“E-access to court files ‘inevitable,’ lawyer says”: Yesterday’s edition of The Edmonton Journal contained an article that begins, “The judges on the Supreme Court of Canada will decide this fall whether to post court documents online, the culmination of years of debate on whether throwing open the electronic doors threatens privacy rights in an era of Internet stalkers and identity thieves.”

“Federal officials try to block Texas execution to allow review of case”: Monday’s edition of The Dallas Morning News contained an article that begins, “Fourteen years and numerous judicial reviews have passed since Jose Medellin was sentenced to die after confessing to the brutal gang rape and murder of two teenage girls in Houston. That’s long enough, state officials say. It’s time to carry out the sentence. But defense attorneys, and an unusual coalition of federal officials, including no less than the attorney general and secretary of state, say if his Aug. 5 execution is not stayed, so Mr. Medellin’s case can be reviewed one more time at the behest of the International Court of Justice, Texas will be rushing to judgment and endangering Americans abroad.”

“Local officials fight pact with MILF in Court”: This article, about an agreement involving the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, appears in Wednesday’s edition of The Manila Times.

Third Circuit rejects Pennsylvania state prison inmates’ claims arising from the Department of Corrections’ confiscation of materials that could be used to file bogus liens against judges, prosecutors, and other government officials: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at this link. The opinion was issued per curiam, lest anyone consider filing a bogus lien against the author of today’s ruling.

“Judge: Erie collar-bomb suspect not competent.” The Associated Press provides this report.

And The Erie Times-News has an update headlined “Diehl-Armstrong found incompetent in Wells case.”

“Supremely Screwed Up: A do-over for the High Court?” In the August 4, 2008 issue of The Weekly Standard, Terry Eastland has an essay that begins, “The Supreme Court ended its term this year by making a mistake in one of its most controversial cases–the case in which it held unconstitutional a Louisiana law authorizing capital punishment for the rape of a child under 12 years of age.”

“Court ruling on Whole Foods-Wild Oats deal reversed”: Reuters provides a report that begins, “A U.S. appeals court reversed on Tuesday a lower court decision that allowed Whole Foods Market Inc’s purchase of rival Wild Oats Markets Inc to proceed over the objections of antitrust authorities.”

You can access today’s ruling of a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit at this link. Circuit Judge Janice Rogers Brown wrote the majority opinion, in which Circuit Judge David S. Tatel joined. Judge Tatel also issued a concurring opinion. Circuit Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh issued a dissenting opinion and would have allowed implementation of the merger.

“The Fiction Behind Torture Policy: The lawyers designing interrogation techniques cited Jack Bauer more frequently than the Constitution.” Dahlia Lithwick has this essay in the August 4, 2008 issue of Newsweek.

And online at Slate, she has an essay titled “Horror Stories: The best new reads about law and the war on terror.” Thanks for the prominent mention of “How Appealing,” Dahlia!

“The Becker-Posner Blog” on “Compelled Disclosure of Food Characteristics”: Judge Posner’s take is here, while Professor Becker comments at this link.

In his post, Judge Posner writes, “As Becker has emphasized in academic work, the choice of an addictive life style may be freely chosen and the life style itself may be socially productive and personally satisfying; Becker and I, for example, are addicted to work.”

Available online from law.com: Joe Palazzolo reports that “Disabilities Law Covers Sex Disorders, D.C. Circuit Rules; Federal workers are covered under 1973 Rehabilitation Act.” My earlier coverage of the D.C. Circuit’s ruling appears at this link.

In other news, “Pro Bono Lawyers Make Case to O’Connor in Religious Speech Suit.”

And an article reports that “Gibson Dunn Will Fight Court’s $13.4 Million Reversal in Crash Case.”

“Caperton petitions U.S. Supreme Court; Verdict’s overturn has national implications, says former U.S. solicitor general”: Early this month. The Charleston (W. Va.) Gazette published an article that begins, “West Virginia coal operator Hugh M. Caperton and Harman Mining, his company that was forced into bankruptcy, petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon to accept its appeal of a West Virginia Supreme Court ruling. Caperton and Harman are challenging two state Supreme Court actions that overturned a $50 million Boone County jury verdict, now worth $76.3 million, against A.T. Massey Coal Co. for hijacking a coal supply contract Harman had to deliver coal to LTV steel mills in Pittsburgh. The ‘appearance of bias’ by Justice Brent Benjamin, the petition argues, has national implications that could affect supreme courts in 39 states that elect judges. Don Blankenship, who headed A.T. Massey (later renamed Massey Energy), spent more than $3 million of his own money to buy television advertisements and other commercials promoting Benjamin’s 2004 campaign against incumbent Justice Warren McGraw. Caperton’s lawyer, Theodore B. Olson, was U.S. solicitor general from 2001 to 2004 and has represented Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush personally.”

And The Associated Press reported early this month that “Massey case appealed to US Supreme Court.”

Yesterday afternoon, as The West Virginia Record reports in an article headlined “Benjamin concurs, but does so much more,” Justice Brent D. Benjamin of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia issued this lengthy and remarkable concurring opinion in the case directly addressing the accusations of bias being raised against him.

“Special-interest lobbies pour cash into judicial races”: Yesterday’s edition of The Chicago Tribune contained this article.

“The Censors Lose in Court”: This editorial appears today in The New York Times.

“Bush approves execution of soldier, first in 50 years”: McClatchy Newspapers provide this report.

Tuesday’s edition of The New York Times will report that “Execution by Military Is Approved by President.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Bush OKs execution of Army death row prisoner.”

“U.S. urges new hearing in death penalty case”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

And today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times contains an editorial entitled “Will the Supreme Court reconsider? A controversial case proves that the courts are not the best place to fight capital punishment.”

“Media’s drinking water offers a double Camp Justice chill; A look at the Pentagon media machine at the first U.S. war-crimes tribunal reveals a $32,000 travel morgue that chills reporters’ drinking water”: Carol Rosenberg has this article today in The Miami Herald.

And she also has a news update headlined “Experts open second week of driver’s trial.”

“Federal appeals court to review Va. abortion ban”: The Richmond Times-Dispatch has a news update that begins, “The full 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will rehear a challenge to Virginia’s ban on a late-term abortion procedure. On two occasions a three-judge panel of the same court ruled 2-1 that the challenge was successful — that the Virginia ban on what opponents call ‘partial-birth abortion’ was unconstitutional.”

The Associated Press reports that “Full court will consider Virginia ban on ‘partial-birth abortion.’”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “A new test of a ‘partial-birth’ abortion ban.”

My earlier coverage of the Fourth Circuit‘s most recent three-judge panel ruling in the case appears here, here, and here.

“Lawsuit filed against new DC gun regulations”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “The plaintiff in the Supreme Court case that struck down Washington’s 32-year-old handgun ban filed a new federal lawsuit Monday, alleging the city’s new gun regulations still violate an individual’s right to own a gun for self-defense.”

Update: At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “New Second Amendment case in D.C.”

“Long prison terms for 2 Border Patrol agents upheld”: The Houston Chronicle provides a news update that begins, “A federal appeals court today upheld long prison sentences given to a pair of U.S. Border Patrol agents who shot an unarmed drug smuggler near El Paso and lied to superiors about it.”

And The Associated Press reports that “5th Circuit upholds prison terms for border agents.”

My earlier coverage of today’s Fifth Circuit ruling appears in the post immediately below.

Fifth Circuit affirms in large measure the convictions of two border patrol agents alleged to have shot a drug smuggler from behind as he fled on foot toward the Mexican border: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued this ruling today in the controversial case of United States v. Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. Today’s ruling affirms the agents’ convictions on seven counts of the indictment but vacates their convictions on another five counts.

“A Prosecutor Is Called ‘Relentless'”: Today in The New York Sun, Josh Gerstein has an article that begins, “A federal prosecutor who has led a series of investigations into Islamic militants and Muslim groups based in Virginia, Gordon Kromberg, may soon be facing a trial of sorts himself, if defense lawyers get their way.”

“Why It Was a Great Victory”: In the August 14, 2008 issue of The New York Review of Books, Professor Ronald Dworkin will have an essay that begins, “Boumediene v. Bush is one of the most important Supreme Court decisions in recent years.”

“Iowa case raises question: Is stripping an art?” The Associated Press provides this report.

“California to Begin Integrating Prisons for Men; Some Warn That Racial Tension Will Explode as Others Predict Increased Tolerance”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.