“New fight develops over rights of fetuses; Lawsuit filed to keep initiative off the ballot”: Today’s edition of The Anchorage Daily News contains an article that begins, “A ballot initiative that sponsors hope will outlaw abortion in Alaska by declaring fetuses to be ‘legal persons’ appears headed for a court fight.”

“Destin homeowners take cases to court; Neighbors claim renourishing sand unconstitutional”: This article appears today in The Pensacola News Journal.

And The Destin Log reports that “The Supreme Court will take up area restoration battle on Wednesday.”

“Ruling puts gun verdicts at risk; Mass. convictions under scrutiny”: Today’s edition of The Boston Globe contains an article that begins, “Dozens of gun possession convictions statewide could be overturned in the coming months as state judges interpret a narrow US Supreme Court ruling that found Massachusetts routinely violated the constitutional rights of drug defendants. The 5-4 ruling by the nation’s highest court, issued this summer, forced Massachusetts prosecutors to abandon the state’s historic practice of using written lab reports in drug trials to prove that seized materials were illicit drugs.”

“Retiring Chief Federal Patent Judge May Start Think Tank”: The Wall Street Journal today contains an article that begins, “The retiring chief judge for the federal patent appeals court may start his own intellectual property think tank, where he will press for limited congressional meddling in U.S. patent law.”

“Gun ruling reversal tests domestic violence law”: Today’s edition of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contains an article that begins, “A Rock County man sentenced to two years in federal prison for shooting a deer while he was on probation for domestic violence has had his case overturned by a federal appeals court. The case could have far-ranging impact in the gun-rights debate.”

You can access the ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued earlier this month at this link.

The Washington Post reports on SCOTUS angle to White House “gate-crashers”: Today’s edition of The Washington Post contains an article headlined “Days of wine and poses: Vintners Michaele & Tareq Salahi drink deeply from life, but not all is so sparkling” that begins, “Before Tareq and Michaele Salahi catapulted to international notoriety as possible White House gate-crashers this week, the Virginia socialites had their pictures taken with President Obama during his inauguration, Prince Charles at a polo match and Oprah Winfrey at another event. They had Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy speak at their elaborate wedding, which more than 1,800 guests attended.”

“Spin of Wheel May Determine Judge in 9/11 Case”: This article appears today in The New York Times.