“Luzerne DA to reopen some ‘cash-for-kids’ cases”: This article appears today in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Today’s edition of The Wilkes-Barre Times Leader contains an article headlined “How juvie scandal was uncovered: Juvenile Law Center attorneys spoke to parents, juveniles as they left courtroom.”

And The Reading Eagle reports that “Judge from Berks involved in review of Luzerne juvenile cases hopes for restoration of public trust in courts there.”

“Deal in Senate on Protecting News Sources”: Charlie Savage has this article today in The New York Times. According to the article, “Protection under the so-called shield law would also be extended to unpaid bloggers engaged in gathering and disseminating news.”

And The Washington Post reports today that “White House, senators agree on media shield law.”

Third Circuit decides appeal challenging the constitutionality of Pittsburgh ordinance regulating protests and confrontations at health care facilities providing abortions: You can access today’s lengthy ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at this link.

“Congress Set to Take Aim at Judicial Recusals; House Judiciary Committee’s interest marks the first time Congress has flirted with recusal guidelines since a 2004 scrap between congressional Democrats and Justice Scalia”: law.com has this report.

“Both sides claim victory with al-Marri sentencing; Terror agent’s brother reacts with disappointment”: This article appears today in The Peoria Journal Star, along with an article headlined “Al-Marri ‘very happy’ with 8-year sentence; Sleeper agent could get out of prison in about five years.”

And in today’s edition of The New York Times, John Schwartz reports that “Admitted Qaeda Agent Receives Prison Sentence.”

“Racy pics stir penalty, ACLU”: This past Wednesday’s edition of The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne, Indiana contained an article that begins, “The American Civil Liberties Union has sued Smith-Green Community School Corp. and a principal in federal court on behalf of two girls punished for summer postings on MySpace.”

And The Associated Press reports that “School sued for punishing teens over MySpace pix.”

“US Supreme Court case to test funds’ fee structure”: Ross Kerber and James Vicini of Reuters have this report.

“US: Mass. can’t force gay marriage benefits.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “States that allow gay marriage can’t force the federal government to provide benefits to those couples, the Obama administration argued Friday in court papers in a lawsuit by Massachusetts.”

“Senate, White House agree on reporter protections”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Senate supporters of a bill protecting a reporter’s right to protect confidential sources in federal court said Friday they’ve reached a compromise with the Obama administration and media groups that gives the government authority to override those rights in certain national security cases.”

Second Circuit, over the dissent of four judges, denies rehearing en banc in case involving a doctor’s application for discharge from the Army as a conscientious objector: You can access today’s order of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit denying rehearing en banc, together with opinions concurring in and dissenting from that order, at this link.

The original three-judge panel’s ruling, which I noted in this post on the day it issued, can be accessed here.

For those interested in the “in banc” versus “en banc” controversy in which the Second Circuit sometimes finds itself embroiled, it is interesting to note that the judges’ opinions correctly refer to rehearing “en banc,” while the Clerk of Court’s order officially denying full-court review still uses the now-abandoned “in banc.”

“Fees Case Strikes at Heart of Mutual Funds; Supreme Court to Weigh How Much Money-Management Firms Can Charge; Defining Fiduciary Duty”: Jess Bravin and Jane J. Kim have this article today in The Wall Street Journal.

And today’s edition of USA Today reports that “Fees land mutual funds in top court; Justices to consider whether industry is fair to individuals.”

“Top court race drips with mud”: This article appears today in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. In addition, columnist Salena Zito has an op-ed entitled “Judging gender’s impact.”

And today’s edition of The Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania contains an article headlined “GOP sees Panella linked to scandal; Democrats brush off the claim as a candidate’s last-minute political posturing.”

“Monsanto asks Supreme Court to review alfalfa ban”: Today’s edition of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch contains an article that begins, “Monsanto Co. asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court’s decision to ban the planting of genetically modified alfalfa until an environmental review is complete.”

“Kansas Supreme Court hears arguments about caps on damages awarded to patient; Case against Lawrence physician attracting great deal of attention”: This article appears today in The Lawrence Journal-World.

“Judge robbed twice in 3 days; 2 men arrested in home invasions”: Today’s edition of The Columbus Dispatch contains an article that begins, “Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Craig Wright was the victim of two separate home-invasion robberies in Whitehall last week, police said.”

“11th Circuit Obscenity Case Tests Community Standards on the Internet; Prosecutors have described the films at issue in the case as ‘sadistic, masochistic and violent'”: Alyson M. Palmer has this article today in the Fulton County Daily Report.

And online at Reason, Greg Beato has an essay entitled “In Defense of Extreme Pornography: Why Janet Romano and Rob Zicari have no business being in federal prison.”

“Local attorneys to face off at Supreme Court”: Today’s edition of The Standard Speaker of Hazleton, Pennsylvania contains an article that begins, “Attorneys Gino Andreuzzi of Drums and William Schwab of Lehighton both started practicing law in 1976. Since then, they have contested several bankruptcy cases against one another. Now they’re going to the U.S. Supreme Court together because a catering business of a Ukrainian immigrant failed.”

According to the article, the case is scheduled to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday of next week.

“Pa. high court dismisses juvenile convictions”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has dismissed thousands of juvenile convictions issued by a judge charged in a corruption scandal.”

You can access today’s order of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania at this link.

In related coverage, The Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania today contains an article headlined “Judge flap: Who is liable? Parties at a hearing Wednesday seek immunity from lawsuits filed on behalf of juveniles.”

And The Citizens Voice of Wilkes-Barre today contains an article headlined “Lawyers in civil lawsuit pull no punches.”

Fourth Circuit orders additional trial court proceedings to determine whether Barbara Bush may be involuntarily medicated to stand trial on charges of threatening federal judges: Of course, the case doesn’t involve that Barbara Bush. You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit at this link.

“7th Circuit: Group can’t display pamphlets at Ill. state park.” David L. Hudson Jr. has this news analysis online at the First Amendment Center.

My earlier coverage of the Seventh Circuit ruling appears at this link.

“Ariz. court rules records law covers ‘metadata'”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Hidden data embedded in electronic public records must be disclosed under Arizona’s public records law, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a case that attracted interest from media and government organizations.”

You can access today’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Arizona at this link.

“Attorney General’s Office blasts Kevin Cooper’s innocence claims in petition response”: Today’s edition of The Contra Costa Times contains an article that begins, “The state Attorney General’s Office responded this week to Death Row inmate Kevin Cooper’s petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, and urged the court to deny Cooper’s September request for intervention in his decades-old case.” The newspaper has posted the brief in opposition online at this link.

“State justices hear arguments on parental waivers; In rare ‘road trip,’ state Supreme Court hears case on whether liability can be signed away”: This article appears today in The Detroit News.

“Supreme Court’s future in hands of next governor”: Mary Fuchs has this article today in The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger.

“Court of Appeals, Supreme Court moving to Post building”: The Denver Post today contains an article that begins, “The Colorado Judicial Branch will relocate the state’s two highest courts to The Denver Post Building next year.”

“4th Circuit Nominee Gets Committee Backing”: David Ingram has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Gregory Katsas to rejoin Jones Day”: The Jones Day law firm issued this press release today.

Update: At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Jeff Jeffrey has a post titled “Top DOJ Official Rejoins Jones Day.”

“U.S. Supreme Court Considers Life Sentences For Juveniles”: Lawrence Hurley has this article today in The Daily Journal of California.

And today in The Washington Post, Robert Barnes reports that “Justices will scrutinize life sentences for youths; Cases of two Florida juveniles raise questions about penalty for non-homicide crimes.”

“State high court says campaign donations can’t force recusals”: Today’s edition of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contains an article that begins, “A deeply divided state Supreme Court adopted a rule Wednesday that says endorsements, campaign contributions and independently run ads in themselves are not enough to force a judge off of a case.”

And The Associated Press has a report headlined “Wis. high court: Donations don’t require recusals.”

The Supreme Court of Wisconsin has made some background information available online via this link.

“Bat maker found liable for player’s death”: Today’s edition of The Helena Independent Record contains an article that begins, “After 12 hours of deliberation, a jury sided with the parents of former Miles City American Legion baseball pitcher Brandon Patch in a civil suit over the player’s death during a 2003 game in Helena.”

“Welcome to the Big Bash”: Okay, it’s not exactly “Bashman news from Australia,” but it is what the cover of the November 2, 2009 issue of Sports Illustrated happens to say. The articles mentioned on the cover can be accessed here and here.

“Pa. Supreme Court race draws complaints”: This article appears today in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

And today’s edition of The Citizens Voice of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania contains an article headlined “State GOP: Scandal taints candidate.”

“Appeals court backs state washing machine rules”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “A federal appeals court revived California’s effort Wednesday to increase water efficiency in home washing machines, a plan that state regulators say would ease the water shortage and save households money.”

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

“A New California Law Places Paparazzi Under the Spotlight”: Dionne Searcey has this article today in The Wall Street Journal.

“Loosening of F.B.I. Rules Stirs Privacy Concerns”: Charlie Savage has this article today in The New York Times.