“Mother-in-law of Justice Clarence Thomas dies in Lincoln”: The Omaha World-Herald has published this obituary.

And The Associated Press reports that “Mother-in-law of Justice Thomas dies in Nebraska.”

“Where Will Detainees From Guantanamo Go?” This article appears today in The New York Times.

And The Los Angeles Times reports today that “Obama’s Guantanamo decision has repercussions in Afghanistan, Pakistan; The president’s move to close the detention facility is raising questions for governments that supported the Bush administration’s treatment of terrorism suspects.”

“Obama Administration: Wiretapping Legal Challenge Must Die.” David Kravets has this post at Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog.

“Appeals court ruling favors creators of the Taco Bell Chihuahua; The fast-food chain is solely liable for $42 million in breach-of-contract awards to two Michigan men who developed the mascot idea, which was the basis of the company’s hit ad campaign in the ’90s”: Carol J. Williams has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

And The Grand Rapids Press reports today that “Years later, Taco Bell bitten by dog ads.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Ninth Circuit ruling appears at this link.

“Pro-life activists march on court; Call on Obama to ‘save lives’ by opposing pro-choice bills”: This article appears today in The Washington Times. The newspaper also provides an update headlined “Obama changes policy on abortion.”

McClatchy Newspapers provide reports headlined “Obama ends funding restrictions for family planning groups” and “On Roe v. Wade anniversary, GOP lawmakers press Obama.”

The Washington Post reports today that “Abortion Foes Recall Lincoln’s Slavery Stand; Crowd Asks Obama to Honor ‘Humanity.’”

The Los Angeles Times reports that “Anti-abortion marchers hope Obama’s listening; Thousands in Washington commemorate Roe vs. Wade and speak up against the president’s position on abortion rights.”

USA Today reports that “Abortion foes find new climate; Obama repeats commitment to right to choose.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Obama reverses Bush abortion-funds policy.”

“Marion White, widow of Supreme Court justice, dies”: The Associated Press provides this report.

And The Denver Post today contains an obituary headlined “Justice’s wife was a community servant.”

The Taco Bell chihuahua, on appeal: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued this ruling today.

Some information on the other lawsuit that gives rise to the lawsuit at issue in today’s Ninth Circuit ruling can be accessed in an article headlined “Taco Bell’s Dog Tale” from Forbes.com.

“In gray area involving fees, justices back union”: Tony Mauro has this news analysis online at the First Amendment Center.

“Court turns away suit over Confederate flag shirts”: The Associated Press provides a report that begins, “A full federal appeals court won’t hear a lawsuit by three Tennessee students threatened with suspension if they wore Confederate flag T-shirts.”

Chief Judge Danny J. Boggs was the only member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit to note his dissent from today’s order denying rehearing en banc.

The original three-judge panel’s ruling — which issued in August 2008 while I was away — can be viewed at this link.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit revisits the fictional syndrome of sexual dysfunction known as “picquerism”: My coverage from January 2003 of the Second Circuit’s ruling on habeas petitioner Robie J. Drake’s earlier appeal has caused this blog to be a top Google result for those searching for the term “picquerism.”

Today, nearly six years later, the Second Circuit has issued a new opinion focusing heavily on the “picquerism” issue. Today’s ruling conditionally grants Drake’s habeas petition and orders Drake’s release unless New York State provides him a new trial within 90 days.

“Officials: Obama to reverse abortion policy.” The Associated Press provides this report.

“Bush’s ‘War’ On Terror Comes to a Sudden End”: The Washington Post today contains this front page news analysis, along with articles headlined “Obama Reverses Bush Policies On Detention and Interrogation” and “Intelligence Pick Calls Torture Immoral, Ineffective.”

The New York Times reports today that “Obama Reverses Key Bush Security Policies.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that “Obama overturns Bush tactics in war on terrorism; He issues executive orders to prohibit torture and to close Guantanamo and secret CIA prisons overseas; Human rights advocates hail the moves, though tough decisions await.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Unraveling Bush’s excesses: Obama’s three orders on detainees and interrogation show how tough it will be to undo what Bush did.”

In The Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin and Siobhan Gorman report that “Obama Closes Detention Network; President Orders Guantanamo Shut, Sets Up Prisoner Reviews, Bans Secret CIA Prisons.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “The Jack Bauer Exception: Obama’s executive order wants it both ways on interrogation.”

USA Today contains a front page article headlined “Obama revamps rules on detainees; Orders prison closed at Guantanamo Bay.”

McClatchy Newspapers provide reports headlined “Obama orders Guantanamo closed, end to CIA prisons, harsh interrogations“; “Obama’s orders only the start of a detainee policy overhaul“; and “Obama sends a message: the United States will not torture.”

The Kansas City Star reports that “Fort Leavenworth is on list of possible new homes for Gauntanamo captives.”

Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor reports that “Obama moves to overhaul ‘war on terror’ practices; In three executive orders signed Thursday, he departs sharply from Bush’s policies on Guantanamo, CIA prisons, and harsh interrogation tactics.” The newspaper also contains articles headlined “Obama’s first big moves: His first acts — including an order to close Guantanamo Bay — seek to signal change” and “Closing Guantanamo: Will Europeans take detainees? Europeans, who have long pushed to close the controversial facility, are hesitant to take some of its inmates.”

At Politico.com, Josh Gerstein has a report headlined “Why the Gitmo policies may not change.”

And law.com reports that “Gitmo Attorneys Express Impatience Over Closure Timetable; President Obama’s decision to close detainee facility in a year may be too long to wait, lawyers say.”

“Bush right on Ramos and Compean: Two agents who shot a suspect did not deserve a pardon, but they also didn’t belong in prison for more than 10 years.” This editorial appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Obama’s Judicial Choices: Storming the 4th Circuit? A 4th Circuit judge asks Democrats to resist an ideological takeover of the court.” Circuit Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has this op-ed today in The Washington Post.

“Fair-Wage Bill Clears The Senate; High Court Decision Would Be Overturned”: The Washington Post contains this article today.

And McClatchy Newspapers report that “Senate approves landmark equal pay legislation.”

“Obama Isn’t the First President to Retake Oath — or Forgo Bible”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

“Freed by U.S., Saudi Becomes a Qaeda Chief”: The New York Times today contains a front page article that begins, “The emergence of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee as the deputy leader of Al Qaeda’s Yemeni branch has underscored the potential complications in carrying out the executive order President Obama signed Thursday that the detention center be shut down within a year.”

“Autopsy reports are public, high court declares; Two newspapers had sued for results in slaying of Easton police officer”: This article appears today in The Morning Call of Allentown, Pennsylvania.

The Express-Times of Easton, Pennsylvania reports today that “Pa. Supreme Court rules Express-Times should have access to 2005 police shooting autopsy report.”

And The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “Autopsy reports public, Pa. court rules.”

Yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania consists of a majority opinion and a concurring and dissenting opinion.

“State off hook for foster kids’ car insurance”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “The state’s obligation to help foster parents raise their children does not extend to paying for teenagers’ car insurance, the California Supreme Court said Thursday.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of California at this link.

“Area attorney appears before Supreme Court”: Yesterday’s edition of The Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser contained an article that begins, “A Montgomery-based prosecutor had a hand in a recent Supreme Court ruling that will affect criminal cases across the country. Assistant U.S. Attorney Verne Speirs handled a case out of Coffee County that ended up before U.S. Supreme Court justices.”

“2nd Circuit Skeptical Over Restoration of Rules Curbing Content of Ads”: law.com provides a report that begins, “Questioning from a panel of federal appeals judges Thursday swamped New York state’s primary argument for reinstating a series of restrictions on lawyer advertising that were enjoined in July.”

“Obama Sides With Bush in Spy Case”: This evening at Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog, David Kravets has a post that begins, “The Obama administration fell in line with the Bush administration Thursday when it urged a federal judge to set aside a ruling in a closely watched spy case weighing whether a U.S. president may bypass Congress and establish a program of eavesdropping on Americans without warrants.”

You can access at this link the court filing the federal government made in the case earlier today.

In jurisprudence essays available online at Slate: Dahlia Lithwick has an essay entitled “Bad Men: How many terrorists are really left at Guantanamo, anyway?”

And Emily Bazelon has an essay entitled “Project Open Closet: When do the legal skeletons come tumbling out of the Justice Department?”

As an added bonus, today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Day to Day” included an audio segment entitled “Obama To Shutter CIA Prisons Immediately” (RealPlayer required) featuring Dahlia Lithwick.

Fifth Circuit upholds Zainey ruling on federal government liability for post-Katrina deaths: The Associated Press provides this report.

You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit at this link. The same three-judge panel also issued a separate, related ruling that you can access here.

“Obama orders review in al-Qaida sleeper case”: The Associated Press provides this report.

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Government to reconsider Al-Marri case.”

“Senators Shuffle Membership on Judiciary Committee”: David Ingram has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Obama signs order to close Guantanamo in a year”: The Associated Press provides this report.

And Reuters reports that “Obama orders Guantanamo’s closure within a year.”

At least the U.S. Supreme Court has noticed who’s now in charge of the U.S. Department of Justice: The “Day Call” list for yesterday’s argued cases reflects that the caption of the third argued case is now Nken v. Filip, as does the transcript of that oral argument.

My earlier post on this topic appeared yesterday.

Meanwhile, as this ruling issued today indicates, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit isn’t yet ready to let former Attorney General Mukasey off the hook.

“Civil Rights Law at Issue in High Court Rulings”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

Today in The Washington Post, Robert Barnes reports that “Online-Porn Law Is Allowed to Die; High Court Won’t Hear Bush Appeal.”

In The Los Angeles Times, David G. Savage reports that “Supreme Court lets Internet porn law die; The measure, which never went into effect, was aimed at protecting children. In striking down the law on free-speech grounds, the justices cite the use of software filters.”

In USA Today, Joan Biskupic reports that “Ruling revives student’s bias lawsuit.”

Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor has articles headlined “US Supreme Court says parents can sue school officials under discrimination laws; In a Massachusetts case, a kindergarten girl allegedly was sexually harassed by a third-grade boy on a school bus” and “It’s now easier for judges to determine immunity for public officials; The US Supreme Court rules in the case of an alleged drug dealer in Utah.”

The Boston Globe reports that “Supreme Court backs bid by family to sue Cape school district; Girl had reported abuse on bus.”

The Cape Cod Times reports that “Supreme Court backs Cape family’s lawsuit against school.”

The Deseret News contains an article headlined “U.S. Supreme Court: Police are protected from lawsuits.”

And The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports that “Justices reinstate murder conviction in Ballard drive-by; Lower court decision overturned in the death of a 16-year-old girl who was shot from car.”

“Federal judge delays the public webcast of illegal download case”: This article appears today in The Boston Globe.

“Way clear for damage suit against drugmaker”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “The state Supreme Court cleared the way Wednesday for a San Francisco woman to sue a drugmaker for allegedly failing to warn her doctor that anti-heartburn medicine he prescribed for her could cause a muscular disorder. The court declined to review an appellate court ruling reinstating Elizabeth Conte’s damage suit against Wyeth Inc.”

My earlier coverage of the intermediate appellate court’s ruling can be accessed here.

“Judges merit a raise: Even in these difficult times, federal jurists deserve a cost-of-living wage increase.” This editorial appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Oath Is Administered Once Again”: The New York Times contains this article today. The newspaper also contains an op-ed by Steven Pinker entitled “Oaf of Office.”

The San Francisco Chronicle reports today that “Obama retakes oath to err on side of law.”

The Associated Press reports that “Obama takes presidential oath again after stumble.”

Bloomberg News reports that “Obama Sworn in Again After Error in the Oath at Inauguration.”

And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Tony Mauro has a post titled “Take Two: The Presidential Oath, Done Right.”

“Obama to Shut Guantanamo Site and C.I.A. Prisons”: This front page article appears today in The New York Times. The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “First Steps at Guantanamo.”

Today’s edition of The Washington Post contains a front page article headlined “Obama Starts Reversing Bush Policies; Guantanamo Order Readied; Lobbying Rules Tightened.” The newspaper also reports that “Plan to Eliminate Prison Faces Hurdles; Practical, Political Challenges Await as Obama Outlines Goals in Draft Order” and “Public Supports Closing Guantanamo; In Poll, Most Agree With President’s Plan to Shutter the Facility Within a Year.” And the newspaper contains an editorial entitled “Justice and Security: Mr. Obama is right to move cautiously in closing Guantanamo.”

In The Los Angeles Times, Carol J. Williams reports that “Obama expected to order closure of Guantanamo prison; A draft order calling for the facility’s shutdown within a year and a review of prisoners’ cases is likely to be issued today; A presidential request prompts suspension of prosecutions.”

Carol Rosenberg of The Miami Herald reports that “Obama moves to close Guantanamo camps within a year; President Obama launched plans for a phased one-year closure of the Guantanamo prison camps that could bring detainees to U.S. soil.”

In The Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin and Laura Meckler report that “Obama Set to Undo Bush’s Gitmo Policies.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Obama and Guantanamo: Fighting terrorism is simpler when you’re a candidate.”

Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor has an article headlined “Sorting out Guantanamo detainees: President Obama orders a thorough review of pending terror cases.”

At Politico.com, Josh Gerstein reports that “Legal issues complicate Gitmo closing.”

The Associated Press provides reports headlined “Sources: Obama to order Guantanamo closed” and “Ex-US attorney to prosecute suspects at Guantanamo.”

Reuters provides reports headlined “Obama to order Guantanamo closed” and “Guantanamo closure too little too late: ex-inmate.”

Bloomberg News reports that “Obama’s Order to Close Guantanamo Detainee Camp May Come Today.”

And today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition” contained an audio segment entitled “Obama To Order Guantanamo Closed Within A Year” (RealPlayer required).

The second attempt at administering the presidential oath involved no Bible and no transposition of words: You can view a photograph from last night’s private ceremony at this link.