“Supreme Court Rules that Government Can Fine for ‘Fleeting Expletives'”: Robert Barnes of The Washington Post has this news update.
David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times has a news update headlined “Supreme Court upholds regulation of ‘indecent’ language on TV; In a 5-4 decision, the court rules the FCC has the authority to crack down on the ‘foul-mouthed glitteratae from Hollywood’; The ruling allows huge fines on broadcasters for airing a single expletive.”
Jess Bravin and Amy Schatz of The Wall Street Journal have a news update headlined “Court Upholds FCC ‘Fleeting Expletive’ Rule.”
Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News reports that “FCC Ban on Expletives Revived by U.S. Supreme Court.”
James Vicini of Reuters reports that “U.S. top court upholds TV profanity crackdown.”
And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Tony Mauro has a post titled “No Expletives, Fleeting or Otherwise, Uttered by Scalia.”
“Court hears case of state investigations of banks”: Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press has this report.
And John Schwartz of The New York Times has a news update headlined “Justices Hear Arguments on Bank Regulation.”
Earlier, on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” Nina Totenberg had an audio segment entitled “Court To Hear Case On Power To Investigate Banks” (RealPlayer required).
“Top U.S. court backs Tennessee death row inmate”: James Vicini of Reuters has this report.
“Sources: Sen. Specter intends to switch parties.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Several officials say veteran Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania intends to switch parties, advancing his own hopes of winning a new term next year while pushing Democrats one step closer to a 60-vote filibuster-resistant majority.”
Bloomberg News reports that “Senator Arlen Specter to Seek Re-Election as a Democrat.”
Reuters reports that “Sen. Specter changing to run as a Democrat.”
The “From The Source” blog of The Philadelphia Inquirer has a post titled “Arlen Specter to switch to Democratic party.”
“The Caucus” blog of The New York Times has a post titled “Specter To Switch Parties.”
And “The Fix” blog of The Washington Post has a post titled “Specter To Switch Parties.”
You can access the web site of U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (?-PA) at this link.
“Is Crime Victims Rights Law Being Misused in Environmental Cases?” law.com has this report.
Access online today’s opinions of the U.S. Supreme Court in argued cases: The Court today issued a 5-4 ruling in FCC v. Fox Television Stations, Inc., No. 07-582, also known as the “fleeting expletives” case. Justice Antonin Scalia delivered the opinion of the Court, in which the Chief Justice and Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, and Samuel A. Alito, Jr. joined. Justice Thomas also issued a concurring opinion. Justice Kennedy also issued an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment. Justices John Paul Stevens and Ruth Bader Ginsburg each issued dissenting opinions. And Justice Stephen G. Breyer issued a dissenting opinion in which Justices Stevens, David H. Souter, and Ginsburg joined. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link. This blog’s earlier coverage of the oral argument can be accessed here and here.
Today’s second ruling issued in Cone v. Bell, No. 07-1114. Justice Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Justices Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg, and Breyer joined. The Chief Justice issued an opinion concurring in the judgment. Justice Alito issued an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part. And Justice Thomas issued a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Scalia joined. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.
At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Court partly upholds ‘dirty words’ ban.”
And in early news coverage, The Associated Press reports that “FCC ‘fleeting expletives’ policy in — for now” and “Court rules for Tenn. death-row inmate.”
“‘I pity the fool’: Mr. T on jury duty; Star wows the crowd — including defendant’s family — but is not chosen.” This article appears today in The Chicago Sun-Times.
“Who attended ‘torture’ briefings? A GOP lawmaker wants to know; Rep. Peter Hoekstra seeks full disclosure about who on Capitol Hill knew about US interrogation methods — a move that may put certain Democrats on the spot.” Gail Russell Chaddock of The Christian Science Monitor has this report.
Today’s edition of The New York Times contains an article headlined “How ’07 ABC Interview Tilted a Torture Debate.”
And today in The Wall Street Journal, columnist William McGurn has an op-ed entitled “Torture and the ‘Truth Commission’: Why has Congress failed to outlaw waterboarding?”
“Judge in Asbestos Case Angrily Lectures Prosecutors”: The New York Times contains this article today.
The Missoulian reports today that “Charges against 1 defendant dropped in Grace trial.”
The Associated Press reports that “Judge slams govt case in Grace asbestos trial.”
And Bloomberg News reports that “W.R. Grace Asks Judge to Throw Out ‘Political Prosecution.’”
Additional coverage is available from the “Grace Case” blog.
“A Quiet Day in Iowa as Same-Sex Couples Line Up to Marry”: This article appears today in The New York Times.
Today’s edition of The Kansas City Star contains an article headlined “Gay couples line up to wed in Iowa.”
The Des Moines Register contains articles headlined “Wedding-day wait ends for same-sex couples“; “Governor says opposition to amendment is consistent with pledge“; “Couples halted in ’07 resume plans“; “Protesters are quiet in expressing views“; and “Day’s events lead up to parties statewide.”
And in news from Connecticut, The Hartford Courant reports that “Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church To Protest Gay Marriage Law.”
“NRG Appeal in Electricity Case Gets U.S. Supreme Court Review”: Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News has this report.
In today’s edition of The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger: The newspaper contains articles headlined “State’s new formula for funding schools goes to top court” and “Jersey City defends gun sale restrictions before top court.”
“Liberals push Bybee impeachment”: Josh Gerstein has this article at Politico.com.
And today at Time magazine’s web site, you can access a profile headlined “Jay Bybee: The Man Behind Waterboarding.”
“An ‘Appropriate’ Education — A Supreme Court case highlights a question: Why deny D.C. children what special-needs students get?” The Washington Post contains this editorial today.
“In Ecuador, High Stakes in Case Against Chevron”: This lengthy article appears today in The Washington Post.
“Issue of Execution and the Retarded Returns to Supreme Court”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.
The Tribune Chronicle of Warren, Ohio reports today that “Capital case awaits ruling; Supreme Court decision could affect local man.”
And earlier, Sunday’s edition of The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that “High court hears death case.”
“When Banks Discriminate”: Today’s edition of The New York Times contains an editorial that begins, “The Supreme Court hears arguments on Tuesday in a case that gives the justices a particularly timely chance to allow state officials to act when national banks break the law.”
“On Voting Rights, Test of History v. Progress”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.
“High Court Ends Sanofi’s Fight In Lovenox Case”: This article appears today in The Wall Street Journal.
And Greg Stohr and Susan Decker of Bloomberg News report that “Sanofi Rebuffed by U.S. High Court on Lovenox Patent.”
“How free is student speech?” David L. Hudson Jr. has this news analysis online at the First Amendment Center.
The Associated Press is reporting: Jesse J. Holland reports that “Court to hear case on power to investigate banks.”
And in other news, “Supreme Court takes up special education case.”
“Is It a Violation of Privacy Law to Reproduce a MySpace Posting in a Context Where the Very People It Targets Will See It? A California Court Says No, But Allows An Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress Claim to Stand.” Julie Hilden has this essay online at FindLaw.
“Thomas and Breyer Discuss Supreme Court Clerk Diversity at Budget Hearing”: law.com’s Tony Mauro has this report.
Via C-SPAN, you can watch last Thursday’s hearing by clicking here.
“Houston lawyer defends contract; Critics say job in Pennsylvania is ‘pay to play'”: This article appears today in The Houston Chronicle.
“Justices Could Weigh Free Speech vs. License Plates”: Adam Liptak will have this new installment of his “Sidebar” column Tuesday in The New York Times.
Media tycoon Conrad Black and his co-defendants file reply brief in support of their petition for writ of certiorari seeking U.S. Supreme Court review of the Seventh Circuit’s affirmance of their federal criminal convictions: You can access the reply brief, filed today, by clicking here.
Earlier this month, I had this post linking to the federal government’s brief in opposition.
Recent posts of interest at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.” Tony Mauro has a post titled “Supreme Court Nixes Oral Argument on Police Interrogation Case.”
And David Ingram has a post titled “Supporters of OLC Nominee Push for Confirmation.”
“The Next War Over the Courts: Conservatives are already fired up about Obama’s judicial nominations; Is the White House prepared for the fight?” Doug Kendall and Simon Lazarus have this article in the May 2009 issue of The American Prospect.
Access online today’s Order List of the Supreme Court of the United States: The Court has posted today’s Order List at this link.
The Court today granted review in three cases and requested the views of the Solicitor General in one case.
At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Court grants 3, won’t reargue Montejo.”
And The Associated Press reports that “Court to consider case of immigrant who overslept“; “Court refuses appeal from reputed drug kingpin“; and “Court refuses to let officer sue over his arrest.”
“Sordid Business: Will the Supreme Court kill the Voting Rights Act?” Law professor Richard L. Hasen — author of the “Election Law” blog — has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.
“New administration plays ‘I’ve got a (state) secret’: Let judges review whether classified actions need to stay that way.” USA Today contains this editorial today.
In response, Andrew M. Grossman has an op-ed entitled “Keep courts out of it: National security policy belongs in the executive branch and Congress.”
“Advisers Pressed On Memo Fallout; Obama’s Stance On Trials Is Issue”: This article appears today in The Washington Post. In addition, columnist Michael Gerson has an op-ed entitled “Lines on a Slippery Slope.”
The Wall Street Journal reports today that “U.S. Weighs Release of More CIA Memos.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “The ACLU’s Photo Shoot: Another misguided attempt at ‘moral superiority’” and an op-ed by William M. McSwain entitled “Misconceptions About the Interrogation Memos: Their goal was to allow the CIA and military to stay within the parameters of a murky area of the law.”
And The Los Angeles Times contains an editorial entitled “Taking on torture: An investigation into the abuse of suspected terrorists is vital, but it must be conducted with care” and an op-ed by Frank Snepp entitled “Tortured by the past: There’s a disturbing link between Gitmo and the interrogation tactics I used in Vietnam.”
“Judge Bybee’s cruelty: In approving torture, his remoteness from the actual torturers increases his degree of responsibility.” Jon B. Eisenberg had this op-ed yesterday in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Court Weighs Funding For Special Education; Private-School Tuition at Heart of Case”: Robert Barnes and Daniel de Vise have this article today in The Washington Post.
“In Iowa, a historic day for gay couples; Starting today, they can get license to wed”: This article appears today in USA Today.
Today’s edition of The Des Moines Register contains articles headlined “Gays could wed today, but rights don’t follow out of state” and “Religious backers of gay marriage celebrate.”
And The Associated Press reports that “Iowa becomes 3rd state where gays can legally wed.”
