“Brown asks state high court to overturn Prop. 8”: Bob Egelko of The San Francisco Chronicle has a news update that begins, “State Attorney General Jerry Brown, in a surprise turnabout, asked the state Supreme Court late today to overturn Proposition 8, saying the voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage violates basic rights guaranteed in the state Constitution.”
The Los Angeles Times provides news updates headlined “Jerry Brown: Gay-marriage ban should be invalidated” and “Kenneth Starr to defend gay marriage ban before state Supreme Court.”
And The Associated Press reports that “Calif. AG urges court to void gay marriage ban.”
“Sitting on Great Judges: Where Obama should look when he makes his first appointments to the bench.” Emily Bazelon and Law Professor Judith Resnik have this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.
The Green Bag announces the honorees and nominees for Exemplary Legal Writing 2008: The publication issued this press release today. Of the sixteen pieces of legal writing that will be honored by inclusion in the Green Bag Almanac & Reader 2009, I voted for ten of them on my heretofore secret ballot.
Bad hair day but good O’Hare expansion day: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today issued an opinion that begins, “This case presents the question whether the Federal Labor Relations Authority reasonably concluded that customs officers endanger themselves by growing certain styles of hair, beards, and mustaches.”
Meanwhile, a separate ruling that the D.C. Circuit issued today begins, “This is the latest installment in an ongoing battle between the City of Chicago and the Federal Aviation Administration on the one hand, and various religious and secular communities bordering O’Hare International Airport on the other.”
“Perry endorses anti-abortion license plates; Governor’s efforts to back legislation highlight differences with possible foe Hutchison”: This article appears today in The Austin American-Statesman.
“The Real ‘Torture’ Disgrace: The left gears up to prosecute Bush officials for protecting the country.” The Wall Street Journal contains this editorial today.
“Minnesota Supreme Court: Count rejected absentee ballots ; The high court ordered Coleman and Franken to work with the Secretary of State and election officials to set up a process to identify ballots that were rejected in error.” This article appears today in The Minneapolis Star Tribune.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports today that “Tossed absentees added to count; But the state Supreme Court gives both campaigns veto power over each ballot.”
The New York Times reports that “Ruling Favors Democrat in Contest in Minnesota.”
And The Washington Post reports that “Holidays, Court Ruling Will Further Extend Minn. Senate Recount.”
You can access yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Minnesota at this link.
“Nominee wrong for high court”: The St. Petersburg Times today contains an editorial that begins, “If Gov. Charlie Crist appoints Frank Jimenez to the Florida Supreme Court, he will be selecting the least qualified and most ideological nominee available.”
“Health providers’ ‘conscience’ rule to take effect; The last-minute Bush administration declaration lets doctors, clinics, receptionists and others refuse to give care they find morally objectionable”: David G. Savage has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.
And The Washington Post reports today that “Rule Shields Health Workers Who Withhold Care Based on Beliefs.”
“Plans Being Drawn to Close Guantanamo Prison”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.
And Jonathan S. Landay and Margaret Talev of McClatchy Newspapers report that “Gates orders development of plans to close Guantanamo.”
“Next Release of Rehnquist Papers Delayed”: Tony Mauro has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”
“State Supreme Court to discipline judge for written opinion”: The St. Petersburg Times today contains an article that begins, “For the first time, the Florida Supreme Court will discipline a judge for something he wrote in a court opinion. The high court on Thursday ordered a public reprimand for Judge Michael E. Allen of the 1st District Court of Appeal, because he questioned the ethics of a fellow judge in a written opinion.”
And The Tallahassee Democrat reports today that “Judge Allen to face reprimand by Supreme Court; Rebuke marks end of conflict involving Judge Michael E. Allen.”
My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Florida Supreme Court ruling appears at this link.
“Appellate court inherits debate about alienation-of-affection suits”: Today’s edition of The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger contains an article that begins, “Should parents be allowed to sue their former spouses for turning their children against them? A judge in Morris County said no in August. But last month, a Hudson County judge ruled the opposite way, saying state law does not bar a parent from making a parental alienation claim in civil court. The two cases are now headed to appeals court, where they will be closely monitored by family-law attorneys who are split over the issue.”
“Supreme Judicial Court reprimands ex-judge Ernest B. Murphy; Court cites ‘misuse’ of power in letters to Herald publisher”: This article appears today in The Boston Herald.
And The Boston Globe reports today that “SJC reprimands judge for threat; Murphy insisted Herald pay him.”
My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling appears at this link.
“Court Strikes Down Ban on Advertising Super Lawyer or Best Lawyer Status”: law.com has an article that begins, “Ending months of anticipation, New Jersey’s highest court has struck down as unconstitutional a prohibition on attorneys advertising their selections in Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America and other comparative ratings guides.”
My earlier coverage of Wednesday’s New Jersey Supreme Court ruling appears here and here.
“Citizenship in Israel At Center of Bail Fight”: Today in The Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin has an article that begins, “The Justice Department is contending that a Jewish defendant in Iowa should be denied bail in part because he, like all Jews, is entitled to Israeli citizenship if he seeks to immigrate to the Jewish state. The argument against the defendant, Sholom Rubashkin, could in theory apply to all Jewish criminal suspects.”
“The Employee Free Choice Act Is Unconstitutional: Free speech and the takings clause are at stake.” Law Professor Richard A. Epstein has this op-ed today in The Wall Street Journal.
