“Solicitor General Pick Has One Glaring Gap on Resume”: Tony Mauro has this article in today’s issue of Legal Times.

“Obama Plans to Order Closing of Guantanamo on 1st Full Day”: This article will appear Tuesday in The New York Times.

“Tests on TV downloads, farmers’ debts”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Tony Mauro has a post titled “Only Seven Justices Will Tune In To Major Cable TV Case.”

“Accused judge still judges others”: Houston’s ABC 13 Eyewitness News provides a report that begins, “He’s accused of sexually abusing two of his employees, but federal district judge Samuel Kent is still on the bench, hearing cases. He’s the first federal judge ever charged with sex crimes.”

Also today, the Judicial Council of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit posted online this order issued last Friday regarding the pending Complaint of Judicial Misconduct against United States District Judge Samuel B. Kent under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act of 1980. Attached to the Judicial Council’s order is a copy of the superseding indictment issued against Judge Kent earlier this month.

And yesterday in The Houston Chronicle, columnist Rick Casey had an essay that begins, “Next month’s trial of U.S. District Judge Sam Kent is likely to be a sad and sordid affair.”

“New chief to take over La. high court; She’s first woman to hold the position”: This article appears today in The Times-Picayune of New Orleans.

“Process Server on Chief Justice Roberts: ‘Definitely a Gentleman.'” Mike Scarcella has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Obama to close Guantanamo Bay prison quickly”: Ed Henry, CNN senior White House correspondent, has a report that begins, “President-elect Barack Obama plans to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay as early as his first week in office to show a break from the Bush administration’s approach to the war on terror, according to two officials close to the transition.”

Programming note: This afternoon I’ll be out of the office visiting a niece born this morning. Additional posts will appear here later today. In the interim, you can vote for “How Appealing” in the “Best Law Blog” category of the 2008 Weblog Awards. Tomorrow is the final day of the competition.

“Gold mine wants court to OK dumping waste in lake”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A lawyer for a proposed Alaska gold mine told the Supreme Court on Monday that the mine should be allowed to dump metal waste into a nearby lake.”

View the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit‘s online slideshow: By clicking here. I wonder if those Federal Circuit mousepads are available for purchase.

Access online today’s Order List of the U.S. Supreme Court: At this link. The Court has called for the views of the Solicitor General in two cases. And in one of those two cases, two Justices are recused.

“A dilemma in Guantanamo’s waning days: Obama acknowledges that closing the prison will be no easy task and may take years.” Carol J. Williams has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

And today in The Miami Herald, Carol Rosenberg reports that “Obama says early closing of prison camp unlikely; Protesters acted on the seventh anniversary of the Guantanamo camp, and Barack Obama said he would probably not empty it in his first 100 days.”

“Elm City firefighter case goes to Supreme Court”: Today’s edition of The Yale Daily News contains an article that begins, “The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday it would hear the reverse discrimination case appealed from lower courts by 20 New Haven firefighters who claimed they were denied the opportunity for a promotion because of their race.”

“Obama Signals His Reluctance to Look Into Bush Policies”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “President-elect Barack Obama signaled in an interview broadcast Sunday that he was unlikely to authorize a broad inquiry into Bush administration programs like domestic eavesdropping or the treatment of terrorism suspects.”

“Court rules Gov. Jon Corzine won’t have to release e-mails with ex-girlfriend, union boss Carla Katz”: The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger provides a news update that begins, “E-mails Gov. Jon Corzine exchanged with his ex-girlfriend and former state workers union leader Carla Katz should not be released to the public, a state appeals court ruled today.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Appeals court says NJ gov’s e-mails private.”

Today’s ruling of the Superior Court of New Jersey’s Appellate Division is not yet available from that court’s web site.

Update: The opinion can now be viewed by clicking here.

“Nominee Holder to Face Critics on Hill”: Evan Perez has this article today in The Wall Street Journal.

In the January 12, 2009 issue of The National Law Journal: Marcia Coyle reports that “Justices to review speedy trial quagmire; Clear line sought between defenders and prosecutors.”

And Pamela A. MacLean has an article headlined “A circuit ripe for a remake: Vacancies loom in Federal Circuit, a vital IP law venue.”

“High court to hear dispute over Alaska gold mine”: The Associated Press provides this report.