“President Obama Nominates Jane Stranch for United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, Judge Thomas Vanaskie for United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit”: The White House issued this news release today.

At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Jordan Weissmann has a post titled “Obama Nominates Five New Judges, Three U.S. Attorneys.”

“NY court: US govt can withhold Spitzer documents.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “An appeals court says the federal government does not have to release information about wiretaps from the investigation that brought down former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer. The 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals found Friday that The New York Times had not shown it has a First Amendment right to the material.”

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

“Lawsuit seeks right to carry guns in public”: The Washington Times today contains an article that begins, “The man whose Supreme Court challenge secured the right of D.C. residents to keep guns in their homes is back in court, this time filing a lawsuit on behalf of a group seeking the right of registered gun owners to carry their guns in public.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Gun owners sue DC for right to carry weapons.”

“Wyeth Used Ghostwritten Prempro Articles, Files Show”: Bloomberg News has this report.

“Former appeals judge pleads guilty to federal bank fraud”: Friday’s edition of The St. Petersburg Times will contain an article that begins, “A man who once sat in judgment of others was found guilty Thursday of federal bank fraud. Former appeals Judge Thomas E. Stringer Sr. made his first appearance in court since being charged last month with fraudulently obtaining a $350,000 mortgage for a Hawaiian residence he bought with a stripper.”

The Tampa Tribune has a news update headlined “Ex-judge pleads guilty to federal bank fraud.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Former Fla. judge linked to stripper pleads guilty.”

“Court says boy injured at ballpark can sue”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The parents of a young boy struck in the head when a batter hit a ball into a picnic area before an Albuquerque Isotopes game can sue the minor league team and the city, an appellate court has ruled.”

You can access last Friday’s ruling of the New Mexico Court of Appeals at this link. By a vote of 2-1, the majority on a three-judge panel declined to adopt “the baseball rule,” which would have shielded the defendants from liability for the child’s injuries.

The Associated Press is reporting: Now available online are articles headlined “Obama hails confirmation of Sotomayor” and “Sotomayor watches Senate vote at NYC courthouse.”

“Sotomayor Will Take Oath at the Supreme Court on Saturday”: Tony Mauro has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Sotomayor to be sworn in Saturday at high court.”

“Senate confirms Sotomayor for Supreme Court”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The Senate confirmed Sonia Sotomayor Thursday as the first Hispanic justice on the Supreme Court. The vote was 68-31 for Sotomayor, President Barack Obama’s first high court nominee. She becomes the 111th justice and just the third woman to serve.”

Reuters reports that “Senate confirms Sotomayor, first Hispanic on Supreme Court.”

And Bloomberg News reports that “Sotomayor Is Confirmed to Be First Hispanic on Supreme Court.”

“Gordon v. Virtumundo: 9th Cir Smacks Down Anti-Spammers in Trifecta Defense Win.” At his “Spam Notes” blog, Venkat Balasubramani has this post about a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued today.

Venkat writes that in today’s Ninth Circuit ruling, “the anti-spam community suffers a crushing defeat.”

“Senate poised to make history with Sotomayor vote”: The Associated Press has this report.

Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News reports that “Republican Opposition to Sotomayor Widens Gulf Over High Court.”

The Washington Post reports today that “Democrats Rally for Sotomayor; Backers Dismiss GOP Resistance.”

James Oliphant of The Los Angeles Times reports today that “Sotomayor gains more Republican support in the Senate; Three GOP lawmakers who are not seeking reelection next year, including Missouri’s Christopher Bond, have said they will vote to confirm the Supreme Court nominee.”

And CNN.com reports that “Sotomayor confirmation vote set for Thursday afternoon.”

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote on the nomination this afternoon, and you can view the proceedings live, online via C-SPAN2 by clicking here.

Reading Phillies 8, Trenton Thunder 4: As MLB.com reports, “Pedro impressive in latest rehab start; Right-hander strikes out 11 over six innings for Reading.” And because I was among the “all-time record crowd of 9,953 at FirstEnergy Stadium” to watch the game, I’m posting about it here. Additional coverage of the game is available here and here.

You can access the box score at this link. Also of note, the “untouchable” Phillies prospect Domonic Brown hit his first home run at the AA level during the game.

Update: Additional coverage of the game is available here, here, here, and here.

“Sotomayor picks up more GOP support with confirmation near”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Court reinstates road ban in national forests”: The Associated Press has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued today.

And today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article headlined “National park checkpoints at entrances upheld” reporting on a ruling that the Ninth Circuit issued yesterday.

“Supreme Court Vacation: On the Road with the Thomases.” The public radio program “The Takeaway” today had this audio segment consisting of an interview with Virginia Thomas, the wife of Justice Clarence Thomas, about life on the road in their RV.

Thanks to Ben Sheffner of the “Copyrights & Campaigns” blog for the pointer.

Second Circuit issues opinion explaining that court’s basis for rejecting objections to the Chrysler bankruptcy asset-sale transaction: You can access today’s opinion explaining that court’s earlier ruling at this link.

Second Circuit upholds federal district court’s invocation of the “state-secrets privilege” as the basis for dismissing a lawsuit brought against the CIA by the wife and children of a covert-status former employee of the CIA: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit at this link.

“History of animal-cruelty law at issue in Stevens poses incongruity”: Adam Ezra Schulman has this essay online at the First Amendment Center.

And online at FindLaw, Sherry F. Colb has an essay entitled “Lessons From an Animal Cruelty Case In the U.S. Supreme Court.”

“Senate begins floor debate on Sotomayor nomination; Though her confirmation as the Supreme Court’s first Latino justice looks assured, it won’t come without a barrage of criticisms; About 30 lawmakers are expected to voice their complaints”: James Oliphant and David G. Savage have this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

The Washington Post reports today that “GOP Senators Seem Unconcerned About Hispanic Backlash; 28 Say They Will Vote Against the First Latina Supreme Court Nominee.”

The Wall Street Journal contains articles headlined “Senate Begins Formal Debate Over Sotomayor” and “Sotomayor Vote Tests GOP; Candidates, Wooing Hispanics, Aim to Isolate Confirmation Stance From Broader Views.”

The Associated Press reports that “Republicans, Democrats at odds in Sotomayor debate.”

And Reuters reports that “Senate opens Sotomayor confirmation debate.”

“Nominations Roadblock: The Senate is keeping President Obama from placing his nominees in key administration positions.” The Washington Post today contains an editorial that begins, “It has been almost six months since President Obama nominated Indiana law professor Dawn E. Johnsen to head the Justice Department’s influential Office of Legal Counsel (OLC). Almost five months have passed since the Senate Judiciary Committee gave her a favorable vote and sent the nomination to the full Senate. Yet with just days left before the August recess, there has yet to be a floor vote. This is unconscionable.”

“Detainees Could Be Boon for Mich. Town; Residents Want Prison to Stay Open, Even if It Means Housing Terrorism Suspects”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

Yesterday’s edition of The Kansas City Star contained articles headlined “Kansans swiftly oppose moving Guantanamo detainees there, but Michigan may be more open to the idea” and “Leavenworth is well equipped to house Gitmo detainees.”

This past Monday evening’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered” contained an audio segment entitled “Mich. Town May Welcome Guantanamo Detainees” (RealPlayer required).

And today in The Los Angeles Times, CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen has an op-ed entitled “The Gitmo NIMBYs: Politicians should cease the fear-mongering — prisons in the U.S. can easily handle any remaining Gitmo detainees.”

“Medical Papers by Ghostwriters Pushed Therapy”: The New York Times today contains an article that begins, “Newly unveiled court documents show that ghostwriters paid by a pharmaceutical company played a major role in producing 26 scientific papers backing the use of hormone replacement therapy in women, suggesting that the level of hidden industry influence on medical literature is broader than previously known.”

“Did Precedent Make Sotomayor Rule Against Ricci?” Stuart Taylor Jr. has this lengthy post today at National Journal’s “The Ninth Justice” blog.

“State ordered to shrink prison population by 44,000 inmates”: Denny Walsh and Sam Stanton of The Sacramento Bee have this news update.

Bob Egelko of The San Francisco Chronicle has a news update headlined “State must craft plan to reduce prison population in 45 days.”

The New York Times has a news update headlined “California Prisons Must Cut Inmate Population.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Fed judges order Calif. to cut inmate population.”

You can access today’s ruling of a three-judge court for the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Northern Districts of California at this link.

“Re-reading Iqbal (a new take on the 12(b)(6) wars)”: At the “Concurring Opinions” blog, law professor Jaya Ramji-Nogales has published this post written by law professor Adam N. Steinman.

Yesterday, Judge Richard A. Posner — writing for a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit — issued a decision in which he suggested in dicta that it remains possible (and, indeed, appropriate) to take a limited view of the effect of the U.S. Supreme Court‘s recent rulings in Twombly and Iqbal.

“Judge recommends $3.5 M defamation verdict be vacated”: The Citizens’ Voice of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has a news update that begins, “A Lehigh County judge has recommended that a $3.5 million defamation verdict against The Citizens’ Voice be vacated and a new trial held. Lehigh County President Judge William Platt, appointed by the state Supreme Court to hold a hearing on allegations of case-fixing, made the recommendation to the high court Monday.”

You can access the judge’s recommendation at this link.

“Battle lines set; Senate readies Sotomayor debate”: The Associated Press has this report, along with an article headlined “Nevada Sen. Ensign will vote against Sotomayor.”

En banc D.C. Circuit to reconsider dismissal of the claims of a Sudanese pharmaceutical plant that the United States destroyed via a missle strike because the plant was allegedly connected to the terrorist activities of Osama bin Laden: In March 2009, a three-judge panel affirmed the dismissal of the pharmaceutical plant’s claims against the United States, holding that the claims presented a nonjusticiable political question. My earlier coverage of that ruling appears at this link.

Yesterday, the D.C. Circuit entered this order granting rehearing en banc.

At his “Suits & Sentences” blog, Michael Doyle of McClatchy Newspapers has this post about yesterday’s development.

And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Mike Scarcella has a post titled “Court Orders En Banc Hearing in Defamation Suit Against the U.S.”

“Review clears Miami Herald’s military affairs writer; A Miami Herald review has exonerated reporter Carol Rosenberg of sexual-harassment and verbal-abuse allegations”: This article appears today in The Miami Herald.

“White House Counsel’s Job at Stake”: Today in The Wall Street Journal, Evan Perez has an article that begins, “Obama administration officials are holding discussions that could result in White House counsel Gregory Craig leaving his post, following a rocky tenure, people familiar with the matter said.”

“Senate opens debate on Sotomayor for Supreme Court”: The Associated Press has this report.

C-SPAN2 provides live coverage of the U.S. Senate, and you can view the proceedings online by clicking here.

“3rd Circuit Upholds 10-Year Internet Ban in Child Porn Case”: Shannon P. Duffy will have this article Tuesday in The Legal Intelligencer.

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

“Senate set to begin Sotomayor debate; The NRA is urging senators to vote against the Supreme Court nominee; But her confirmation looks certain”: David G. Savage and James Oliphant will have this article Tuesday in The Los Angeles Times.

Tuesday’s edition of USA Today will report that “Republican support for Sotomayor looks paltry.”

And at CQ Politics, Seth Stern reports that “Yesterday’s Spats Shadow Today’s Court Debates.”

“Va., N.Y. Districts Vie for 9/11 Case; U.S. Attorneys Seek Mohammed Trial”: Tuesday’s edition of The Washington Post will contain an article that begins, “The U.S. attorney’s offices in Alexandria and Manhattan are embroiled in intense competition over the opportunity to prosecute Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and his co-conspirators, according to Justice Department and law enforcement sources.” The newspaper will also contain an article headlined “Victims’ Families United in Tragedy, Divided in Views; Politicized by Attacks, They Differ Widely on U.S. Anti-Terrorism Policies.”

And The Kansas City Star has a news update headlined “‘We don’t want them here,’ Brownback says about Gitmo detainees.”

“Obama Brief on State Secrets Rankles the Left”: Adam Liptak will have this new installment of his “Sidebar” column Tuesday in The New York Times.