In posts of interest from “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.” David Ingram has a post titled “Property Rights Case a Sleeper for Sotomayor?”

And Tony Mauro has a post titled “Sotomayor’s Ex Expounds on Bilski Case.”

“S.F.’s blast at Vatican was legal, court says”: Bob Egelko of The San Francisco Chronicle has a news update that begins, “San Francisco didn’t cross into constitutionally forbidden territory of government hostility to religion when the Board of Supervisors denounced a Vatican order to Catholic Charities not to place adoptive children with same-sex couples, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday.”

You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at this link.

“Federal judge tosses warrantless wiretap cases”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal judge has tossed out more than three dozen lawsuits filed against the nation’s telecommunications companies for allegedly taking part in the government’s e-mail and telephone eavesdropping program that was done without court approval.”

And at Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog, David Kravets has a post titled “Judge Tosses Telecom Spy Suits.”

You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California at this link.

Update: At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Challenges to NSA wiretapping shut down.”

“Criminal charges dropped against Wecht, but animosity remains”: Jason Cato has this article today in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Today in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Paula Reed Ward has an article headlined “Wecht deep in debt, but delighted.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Feds drop all charges against celebrity coroner.”

Thanks to law professor Ellen S. Podgor of the “White Collar Crime Prof Blog” for the pointer.

“In MySpace Cases, Appellate Judges Wrestle With Possible Split”: Today in The Legal Intelligencer, Shannon P. Duffy has an article that begins, “Providing a rare study in contrasts, the federal courts in Pennsylvania have had markedly different reactions to two strikingly similar First Amendment cases involving students who were disciplined for ridiculing their principals by creating fake profile pages on MySpace.com.”

“A Senator Who’s Seen the Other Side: GOP’s Lead on Judiciary Panel Was Once Rejected for Bench.” This article appears today in The Washington Post.

And law.com’s Tony Mauro reports that “Critics Pounce on Sotomayor’s Reversal Rate.”

“Conservative Judges Echo Sotomayor in Gun Ruling”: Robert Barnes has this article today in The Washington Post.

Today in The Los Angeles Times, David G. Savage reports that “Appeals court upholds Chicago’s strict gun laws; Decision by the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals sets the stage for a Supreme Court battle over whether the 2nd Amendment and its protection for gun owners extends to cities and states.”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “New 2d Amendment case on the way.”

“Case of death row inmate Troy Davis puts new D.A. in tight spot; Some say Davis, a black man, was wrongly convicted of killing an off-duty white police officer; They are pressing the county’s first black D.A. to intervene, a politically dicey prospect”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

Available online from law.com: Shannon P. Duffy has an article headlined “3rd Circuit: Parent Can’t Read Bible to Son’s Public School Class.” My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Third Circuit ruling appears at this link.

And in other news, “Calif. Supreme Court to Put Right of Publicity to a Taste Test; Case involving single-publication rule has generated intense interest in Hollywood and media circles.”

“Sotomayor Makes Rounds at Capitol”: This article will appear Wednesday in The New York Times.

Wednesday’s edition of The Los Angeles Times will contain an article headlined “Sotomayor, senators make nice — for now; The Supreme Court nominee talks race and the law in meetings with lawmakers; Sen. Jeff Sessions, who will lead GOP questioning of Sotomayor, calls her a ‘delight,’ promises a fair hearing.”

The Washington Post has a news update headlined “Sotomayor Visits Lawmakers on Capitol Hill.”

David Lightman of McClatchy Newspapers reports that “Sotomayor meets key senators amid bets she’s a shoo-in.”

This evening’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered” contained an audio segment entitled “Sotomayor Meets With Senators” (RealPlayer required).

The Associated Press has reports headlined “AP poll finds support for Sotomayor confirmation“; “Sotomayor counters GOP critics over bias claims“; and “Sotomayor stays mum during Senate visits.”

And Politico.com has reports headlined “The Sotomayor PR offensive“; “Patrick Leahy wants Sonia Sotomayor hearings before August“; “McConnell undecided on Sotomayor“; “Dianne Feinstein signals satisfaction on Roe v. Wade“; and “Right demands tougher fight on Sonia Sotomayor.” Meanwhile, in commentary, Michael Steele has an essay entitled “Judge Sotomayor: a milestone nomination, but her record requires scrutiny.” Rick Santorum has an essay entitled “Why I would oppose Sonia Sotomayor.” And Hugh H. Mo has an essay entitled “Real-world experience prepared Sonia Sotomayor.”

“D.C. Circuit Revives Suit Against Prosecutor, Court Official”: At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Mike Scarcella has a post that begins, “A federal prosecutor and a D.C. Superior Court jury official are not entitled to absolute immunity in a suit filed by a man alleging constitutional violations stemming from his abrupt dismissal from a grand jury, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled today.”

You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit at this link.

“Court upholds Navy cancellation of A-12 aircraft”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Boeing Co. and General Dynamics Corp. must pay the government $2.8 billion to settle a nearly two-decade dispute over the cancellation of a Navy contract for a stealth aircraft, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled Tuesday.”

And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Joe Palazzolo has a post titled “Court: Government Was Right to Kill ‘Flying Dorito’ Contract.”

My earlier coverage of today’s Federal Circuit ruling appears at this link.

“7th Circuit homage for Sotomayor gun-rights stance”: Josh Gerstein has this post at his “Under the Radar” blog at Politico.com.

Abdon M. Pallasch of The Chicago Sun-Times has a news update headlined “Chicago’s handgun ban stands.”

The Associated Press reports that “Appeals court upholds Chicago ban on handguns.”

And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Tony Mauro has a post titled “7th Circuit Ruling Agrees With Sotomayor on Second Amendment.”

My earlier coverage of today’s Seventh Circuit ruling appears at this link.

“ACLU defends girl’s lewd MySpace principal parody”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal appeals court must decide whether a Pennsylvania middle school can suspend a student who, at home on her own time, created a lewd MySpace page about her principal.”

“Already sentenced to prison, Galveston’s Samuel Kent to quit next year”: The Houston Chronicle has a news update that begins, “Disgraced U.S. District Court Judge Samuel Kent has notified President Barack Obama of his ‘unconditional resignation’ from the federal bench effective next June 1, his lawyer, Dick DeGuerin told the Houston Chronicle today. Kent sent his letter to the president on the eve of formal impeachment proceedings by the House Judiciary Committee, DeGuerin said.”

The Associated Press reports that “Convicted federal judge submits resignation letter.”

And Texas Lawyer reports that “Retired U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent to Turn in Resignation Today.” You can view the letter of resignation by clicking here.

“Top Democrat: Sotomayor would follow the law.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor sought Tuesday to hit back against GOP charges that she would let her background dictate her rulings, telling senators in both parties that she would follow the law as a justice.”

“Seventh Circuit Rules That, Under Supreme Court Precedent, the Second Amendment Is Not Incorporated Against the States”: Eugene Volokh has this post at “The Volokh Conspiracy” about a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued today.

Today’s ruling will come as no surprise to anyone who listened to the Seventh Circuit oral argument audiotape (5.86MB mp3 audio file), which I previously linked to in this post.

“Coleman-Franken Roundup”: At his “Election Law Blog,” Rick Hasen has this round-up of press coverage of yesterday’s oral argument before the Supreme Court of Minnesota.

In addition, you can view the video of yesterday’s oral argument online, on-demand by clicking here.

“This American version of Jarndyce and Jarndyce has entered its eighteenth year of litigation.” A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit today issued its ruling in a case that is likely to become known as McDonnell Douglas XIV.

According to today’s opinion, “This case arises from the government’s default termination in 1991 of a contract between the United States Navy and two contractors, McDonnell Douglas Corporation and General Dynamics Corporation to develop a carrier-based stealth aircraft, the A-12 Avenger.” You can access the Wikipedia entry on the A-12 Avenger by clicking here.

“Tiller’s Killer: Is it wrong to murder an abortionist?” William Saletan has this essay online at Slate.

“High-Court Nominee Mirrors Industry Copyright Stance”: David Kravets has this post at Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog.

“Reid praises Sotomayor as ‘the whole package'”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Court absolves school officials of responsibility in student’s suicide; Federal appellate court says Ontario-Montclair School District officials acted appropriately in disciplining four students who skipped school to attend a rally; One student killed himself”: Carol J. Williams has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

And The Press-Enterprise of Riverside, California reports today that “Appeals court upholds dismissal of civil rights lawsuit.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at this link.

“Sotomayor’s record shows she’s no sure vote on abortion”: Michael Doyle of McClatchy Newspapers has this report.

Today in The Washington Post, Michael A. Fletcher and Shailagh Murray report that “Sotomayor Prepares to Meet With Key Senators; Republicans May Stall Confirmation.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Double Standard: Funny how the achievements on Sonia Sotomayor’s resume suddenly count for so little,” while columnist Richard Cohen has an op-ed entitled “Dreams Built in the Projects.”

Today in The Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin and Justin Scheck have an article headlined “Look for Sotomayor to Add Heat.”

Gail Russell Chaddock of The Christian Science Monitor has an article headlined “GOP quandary: how hard to swing at Sotomayor; Republicans on Capitol Hill are acutely aware that the tone and content of the nominee’s hearing could redefine the party after two punishing national elections.”

James Rowley of Bloomberg News reports that “Sotomayor May Have Some Unlikely Allies to Answer Gun Critics.”

The Associated Press reports that “Sotomayor to make her Capitol Hill debut.”

In The New York Times, columnist Ross Douthat has an op-ed entitled “Justices Gone Wild,” while columnist Bob Herbert has an op-ed entitled “The Howls of a Fading Species.”

And in The Los Angeles Times, columnist Jonah Goldberg has an op-ed entitled “The Sonia Sotomayor debate is a chance to talk it out on race: Liberals say they want a frank conversation, but when anyone disagrees with them, they shout ‘racist’; Can we get beyond that?”

“Dispute Erupts Over Lawyer for Detainee”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “Even before a Guantanamo detainee who was ordered by President Obama to face trial in civilian court in New York appears for arraignment, a legal imbroglio has erupted over who will represent him.”

“Court to Hear Case on Inmate’s Retardation”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

“Justices to Weigh Issue of Patenting Business Methods”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

Today in The Los Angeles Times, Carol J. Williams reports that “Supreme Court to review what can be patented; Justices agree to hear a case in which an appellate court upheld the denial of a patent for a computerized method for using weather to predict commodities prices and energy costs.”

And law.com has articles headlined “Supreme Court to Hear ‘Bilski’ Case on Business Method Patents; If confirmed, Sonia Sotomayor may take a different view on patents from her predecessor when the case is heard next fall” and “Handicapping ‘Bilski’ at the Supreme Court.”

“Prosecutors cite judge in Bonds perjury appeal”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Lance Williams has an article that begins, “A federal judge abused her discretion when she made alleged positive steroid tests and other key evidence off-limits in Barry Bonds’ perjury trial, prosecutors said Monday. Bonds’ prosecutors asked the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reinstate the evidence, which Judge Susan Illston banned from the case Feb. 19, on the grounds that there was no proof the tests had anything to do with the former Giants star.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Feds appeal ruling tossing out Bonds evidence.”

“Poll: Most oppose closing Gitmo; Many believe prison in Cuba has made U.S. safer.” This front page article appears today in USA Today.

“At Yale, Sotomayor was sharp but not outspoken; In interviews, classmates say Sotomayor pick would have surprised them 30 years ago”: The Yale Daily News has this article online at its web site.

“The Robert Wone Killing Remains ‘a Head-Scratcher’; Alleging Coverup by Housemates, D.C. Police Probe Theory of Bizarre Attack in Dupont Circle House”: This article — part two of a two-part series — will appear Tuesday in The Washington Post.

“Appeals court upholds dismissal of suit against Salt Lake County employees”: Pamela Manson of The Salt Lake Tribune has a news update that begins, “The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed against two Salt Lake County employees by animal-rights activists.”

According to today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, the plaintiffs’ lawsuit “alleged violations of their First Amendment rights to free speech and to peaceably assemble after the individual plaintiffs attempted to protest a circus in South Jordan, Utah.”

“Judges: No Bible at Pa. kindergarten show and tell.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A kindergartner’s mother cannot read Scripture during show and tell, even if the Bible is the boy’s favorite book, a U.S. appeals court said Monday in the latest challenge over religion in public schools.”

And at “The School Law Blog” of Education Week, Mark Walsh has a post titled “Court Backs District’s Refusal to Let Parent Read Bible.”

You can access today’s ruling of a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at this link.

“Business-Method Patents Get U.S. Supreme Court Review”: Greg Stohr and Susan Decker of Bloomberg News have this report.

And Reuters reports that “Top court to hear business-method patent case.”

“Sotomayor preps as Senate courtship awaits”: The Associated Press has this report.

And at “SCOTUSblog,” David Stras has a post titled “The Politics of the Sotomayor Nomination,” while Tom Goldstein has a post titled “Judge Sotomayor and Abortion.”