“Legal Prostitution Under Pressure in Rhode Island”: This article appears today in The Wall Street Journal.

Minnesota Twins 4, Cleveland Indians 1: Progressive Field (formerly known as Jacobs Field) in Cleveland is an impressive ballpark. The Indians, the ballpark’s main tenant, are not quite as impressive. But we shall nevertheless continue to enjoy today’s giveaway item, the Travis Hafner pen holder bobblehead. You can access the box score of today’s game at this link, while articles about the game can be accessed here and here.

Tomorrow morning, we will return to our home state of Pennsylvania to visit Pittsburgh, where tomorrow afternoon we will watch the Pittsburgh Pirates host the St. Louis Cardinals at beautiful PNC Park.

“Hillary movie puts campaign finance limits at risk”: Jesse J. Holland and Mark Sherman of The Associated Press have this report.

“Not Innocent Enough: The elusive search for the sufficiently innocent death-row victim.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Argument preview: Corporations in politics.” Lyle Denniston has this lengthy post at “SCOTUSblog.”

“Bail denied in appeals by Simpson, Stewart”: The Las Vegas Review-Journal today contains an article that begins, “The Nevada Supreme Court Friday denied motions for bail from O.J. Simpson and his co-defendant while they appeal their convictions for kidnapping and armed robbery.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Nevada high court denies OJ bid for prison release.”

“Federal court ruling would let city’s adult shops run 24/7; Judges: City must show a compelling reason for ordinance that restricts businesses’ hours, days.” Today’s edition of The Indianapolis Star contains an article that begins, “Adult businesses selling books, movies and sex paraphernalia in Indianapolis will be able to open on Sundays — and 24 hours a day — unless the city can prove there is some compelling reason why it is singling out that particular day and particular hours. A federal appeals court ruling issued Thursday casts serious doubts on the future of key parts of a 2003 city ordinance that more strictly regulates ‘adult entertainment businesses’ in Indianapolis.”

Chief Judge Frank H. Easterbrook of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is the author of the ruling, which that court issued in typescript format on Thursday.

Available online from law.com: Tony Mauro has articles headlined “Lots of Buzz Over High Court Campaign Finance Case, but Does FEC Have a Shot? Some advocates say fate of funding limits for political races is already set” and “In Revealing New Memoir, a Friend Remembers Rehnquist.”

And in other news, “High-Stakes Tax Dispute May Spell Solo’s Second Trip to U.S. Supreme Court; At issue is whether companies can collect nearly $212M in refund claims after Kentucky’s tax rules were changed.”

“Ashcroft can be sued over arrests, appeals court rules; A 9th Circuit panel says the ex-attorney general violated the rights of citizens held as material witnesses without cause after 9/11; Rights advocates praise the ruling in Abdullah Kidd’s case”: Carol J. Williams has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

Today in The New York Times, John Schwartz reports that “Panel Rules Against Ashcroft in Detention Case.”

Carrie Johnson of The Washington Post reports that “Court Allows Lawsuit Against Ashcroft; Former Official’s Bid for Immunity In Ex-Detainee’s Case Is Rejected.”

Bob Egelko of The San Francisco Chronicle reports that “Ashcroft can be sued over jailing ‘witnesses.’”

The Associated Press reports that “Appeals court rules against Ashcroft in 9/11 case.”

Justin Blum and Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News report that “Ashcroft Can Be Sued in Detention Case, Court Says.”

And law.com reports that “9th Circuit Blasts Feds for Post-9/11 Detention of ‘Material Witness.’”

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

“California takes prison-overcrowding fight to U.S. Supreme Court”: Howard Mintz has this article today in The San Jose Mercury News.

And in related coverage, The Los Angeles Times reports today that “Cash-strapped states revise laws to get inmates out; Mandatory sentencing laws are relaxed, parole is accelerated, and time off for good behavior is increased as states scramble to save money.”

Akron Aeros 5, Erie SeaWolves 1: Greetings from Cleveland, Ohio, which we have returned to tonight after watching the Aeros (the AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) defeat the SeaWolves (the AA affiliate of the Detroit Tigers) in Eastern League action earlier this evening in Akron. You can access the box score at this link, a game recap at this link, and an article about the game at this link.

Tomorrow, it’s on to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum before watching the Cleveland Indians host the Minnesota Twins in a game that starts at 4:10 p.m. at Progressive Field.

Update: Saturday’s edition of The Erie Times-News reports that “SeaWolves waste opportunity to gain ground; Erie loses, stays game behind Reading in wild-card chase.”

“Canada Supreme Court to hear Gitmo case”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Supreme Court to Revisit Election Financing in Clinton Film Case”: Robert Barnes of The Washington Post has this news update.

“Sometimes hard cases make bad law. And sometimes easy cases make bad law. Only rarely, however, do easy cases make bad law by overruling good law.” So begins an opinion concurring in part, dissenting in part and concurring in the judgment that Sixth Circuit Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton issued today.

“Court to give same-day audio in Clinton movie case”: The Associated Press has this report.

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Early release of Citizens United audio.”

“Supreme Court Opens Up to C-SPAN”: Tony Mauro has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

Access online today’s Order List of the U.S. Supreme Court: You can access today’s Order List at this link.

In related coverage, at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Eight-Justice Court for copyright case.”

“C-SPAN’s ‘Supreme Court Week’ Debuts October 4, 2009; Original 80-minute Feature on Supreme Court; Exclusive interviews with Nine Current and Retired Justices; TV production and video-rich Website”: C-SPAN issued this news release yesterday.

Via YouTube, you can now access more than ten minutes of “Excerpts from C-SPAN’s Interviews with Supreme Court Justices.”

And the web portal that C-SPAN has created for its new series can be accessed here.

“Want a Wiretap Warrant? No Problem, Court Says.” At Wired.com’s “Threat Leval” blog, David Kravets has this post about a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued on Monday.

“Court: Microsoft OK to sell Word during appeal.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The U.S. Appeals Court for the Federal Circuit says Microsoft Corp. can keep selling its Word desktop software as it appeals an unfavorable patent ruling.”

Update: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has now posted its stay order at this link.

“Federal judges refuse to delay California prison-overcrowding order”: Howard Mintz has this article today in The San Jose Mercury News.

Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Judges deny governor’s request on inmate cuts.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that “California’s request to delay prison plan is rejected; Appeal will go to the U.S. Supreme Court today, aides to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger say.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Federal judges refuse to delay Calif prison ruling.”

“State Supreme Court: Parents can keep cars used by drug dealing son; The state Supreme Court ruled today that parents must know for certain that their children are using their cars to deal drugs before the authorities can seize those cars.” This article appears today in The Seattle Times.

And The Associated Press reports that “Car forfeiture overturned in Wash. drug case.”

Yesterday’s 5-4 ruling of the Washington State Supreme Court consists of a majority opinion and a concurring and dissenting opinion.

“Justices Discuss A Changing Court; Interviews With C-SPAN Reveal Tight Bonds Despite Deep Divisions”: Robert Barnes has this article today in The Washington Post.

“2nd Circuit Panel Wonders Whether Judge Acted Hastily in Barring Book Based on ‘Catcher in the Rye'”: law.com has this report.

Jamestown Jammers 5, Mahoning Valley Scrappers 4 (game one); Mahoning Valley Scrappers 1, Jamestown Jammers 0 (game two): Just back from Eastwood Field in Niles, Ohio, where this evening the Scrappers (the class A short-season affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) split a doubleheader with the Jammers (the class A short-season affiliate of the Florida Marlins) in New York-Penn League action. You can access the box score for game one at this link and for game two at this link.

Following Tuesday night’s game in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Scrappers left fielder Jason Kipnis recommended that we visit the Eastwood Mall (on whose property Eastwood Field is located) before tonight’s game. Because our seats were first row field level at first base, we were able to thank Jason for his recommendation before game one began this evening. Before the start of the second game, my son was able to get the signature of Scrappers manager Travis Fryman. And thanks to game one’s first base umpire Brian DeBrauwere (who umped home plate for the second game of tonight’s doubleheader) for tossing me a baseball at the conclusion of the first game in recognition of the MLB umpire hat I was wearing.

Tomorrow, we will travel to Akron, Ohio, where tomorrow night we will watch the Akron Aeros (the AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) host the Erie SeaWolves (the AA affiliate of the Detroit Tigers) in Eastern League action.

Update: Friday’s edition of The Vindicator of Youngstown, Ohio reports that “Scrappers split doubleheader with Jamestown.” And Friday’s edition of The Post-Journal of Jamestown, New York reports that “Jammers, Scrappers Split Twin Bill Again.”

“Idaho court won’t remove pre-Nazi swastika tiles”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Images of red swastikas built into tiles in the early 1920s in the Bonneville County Courthouse won’t be removed during a remodel of the building, officials said.”

“Obama takes stand for secrecy, executive power”: At his “Under the Radar” blog at Politico.com, Josh Gerstein today has a post that begins, “President Barack Obama’s administration is escalating a legal showdown which has the Justice Department defending official secrecy and executive power with arguments more associated with former Vice President Dick Cheney than the White House’s newest occupants.”

“Taking their chances on poker’s legality: Is Texas Hold ‘Em about the luck of the draw, or the skill of the player? The question is being played out in courts around the country.” This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

As noted in this earlier post from mid-June 2009, I’m representing the defendants-appellees in one such case now pending on appeal before the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.

“Speculation rises that Supreme Court Justice Stevens will retire; John Paul Stevens, who will turn 90 next year, has hired only one clerk for the 2010 term; That could be a tipoff that he plans to retire before then, although he has not said he will”: David G. Savage has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Justices to Revisit Campaign Finance”: Jess Bravin and T.W. Farnam have this article today in The Wall Street Journal.

“Broken-Nosed Fan Assumed Injury Risk During Pregame Warm-Up, N.Y. Judge Finds”: law.com has an article that begins, “Every baseball fan — or at least every attorney who follows baseball — knows that under the doctrine of assumption of the risk a team is not liable for fans injured by, say, foul balls or broken bats.” You can access the court’s ruling at this link.

“Justice Stevens Hires Just One Clerk for 2010 Term”: Robert Barnes will have this article Thursday in The Washington Post.

And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Tony Mauro has a post titled “Justice Stevens: Exiting Next Year?”

The Associated Press is reporting: Now available online are articles headlined “Federal judge orders MLB drug evidence preserved” and “3 states still ban religious clothing for teachers.”

Akron Aeros 9, Altoona Curve 6: Just back from beautiful Blair County Ballpark — one of the nicest minor league ballparks that we’ve ever visited, and we’ve visited a bunch — where tonight the class AA Eastern League affiliate of the Cleveland Indians defeated the class AA Eastern League affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. You can access the box score at this link, a recap of the game at this link, and an article about the game at this link.

Unfortunately, the amusement park next to the stadium was closed today, so we didn’t get to ride the rollercoaster that overlooks the right field fence.

Tomorrow, we travel to Niles, Ohio, where tomorrow night we will watch the Mahoning Valley Scrappers (the class A short-season affiliate of the Cleveland Indians) host the Jamestown Jammers (the class A short-season affiliate of the Florida Marlins) in New York-Penn League action. Thanks to rainouts last weekend in Jamestown, New York when these two teams were scheduled to play, tomorrow night’s game has been turned into a doubleheader consisting of two seven-inning games.

Update: Thursday’s edition of The Altoona Mirror reports that “‘Consistent’ Aeros erupt against Curve.” And Thursday’s edition of The Akron Beacon Journal reports that “Rivero and Rodriguez tee off on Altoona pitchers for win.”

Where the parties to a lawsuit reach a post-verdict settlement after a jury has awarded punitive damages on a claim governed by Oregon law, must the State of Oregon’s consent to the settlement be obtained before the court can approve the settlement? Today, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit certified that question of Oregon law for resolution by the Supreme Court of Oregon. You can access today’s Ninth Circuit order at this link.

The question arises because, under Oregon law, the State of Oregon is entitled to recover sixty percent of any punitive damages awarded under Oregon law, even if the lawsuit involves only private (non-governmental) parties.