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

“Plaintiff’s failure-to-warn claims against the manufacturers of metoclopramide, the generic version of Reglan, [are] not preempted by federal law”: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit today issued a ruling that the court’s web site summarizes as follows:

Plaintiff’s failure-to-warn claims against the manufacturers of metoclopramide, the generic version of Reglan, were not preempted by federal law; district court did not err in dismissing plaintiff’s claims against manufacturers of the name brand versions of the drug, as they did not owe her duty of care since she never took name brand versions of the drug and holding name brand manufacturers liable for harm caused by generic manufacturers stretches the concept of foreseeability too far.

The failure-to-warn claims at issue in the case arise under Minnesota law.

“Court rules against Wal-Mart workers”: Kirk Makin of The Toronto Globe and Mail has a news update that begins, “A move to unionize the massive Wal-Mart store chain was dealt a blow this morning when the Supreme Court of Canada voted 6-3 against workers at a Quebec outlet that attempt to unionize.”

The Montreal Gazette has a news update headlined “Supreme Court buys Wal-Mart stance on store closure.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Canada high court rules for Wal-Mart in union case.”

The Supreme Court of Canada issued two rulings in these cases today, and you can access them here (main ruling) and here (companion case).

“Canadian judge rules Happy Gilmore golf shot illegal; A Canadian judge decided that the ‘Happy Gilmore’ golf shot made famous by Adam Sandler, ‘breached the standard of care’ in a Nova Scotia Supreme Court case”: This post appeared earlier this week at the “global news blog” of The Christian Science Monitor.

You can access the ruling of the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia at this link.

Available online from law.com: Marcia Coyle of The National Law Journal reports that “Small Firm Takes Big Bankruptcy Fight to High Court.”

An article reports that “Supreme Court May Hear ‘Cat’s Paw’ Case.”

In other news, “9th Circuit Widens Split on Rights of Independent Contractors.”

And an article reports that “N.J. Supreme Court to Weigh Employee’s Use of Private Company Records in Bias Suit.”

“No decisions in high court’s horn of plenty”: Mark Sherman and Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press has a report that begins, “For the first time under Chief Justice John Roberts, the Supreme Court failed to issue opinions before Thanksgiving in any of the cases that were argued in recent months.”

“Mental State Cited in 9/11 Case”: Today in The Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin has an article that begins, “When five defendants are brought before a New York federal judge to face charges for the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the first question may be whether some of them are competent to stand trial at all.”

The newspaper also contains an op-ed by Thomas Wilner entitled “Obama Made the Right Call on KSM; A civilian court is the best venue for justice.”

“Benefits for same-sex partners are expanding”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

“After Supreme Court clerkship, UW grad returns to teach at law school”: The Wisconsin State Journal posted this article online yesterday afternoon.

“Playing by Reid’s rules on filibusters”: Today in The Washington Post, U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) has an op-ed that begins, “Legal scholars have long debated whether the filibuster may be used to keep judicial nominees off the bench.”

“Test case on shackling juveniles withdrawn; Opponents say practice is a violation of rights and traumatic for youth”: This article appears today in The Gainesville Sun.

“New Michigan Supreme Court rule will let judges toss one of their own”: Today’s edition of The Detroit Free Press contains an article that begins, “The Michigan Supreme Court enacted a rule late Wednesday that will allow, for the first time, a majority of justices to remove a colleague from a case for alleged bias. The rule, enacted on a 4-3 vote, is the most obvious indication so far of the change wrought by last year’s election in which then-Chief Justice Clifford Taylor was defeated by Justice Diane Hathaway.”

“Execution can proceed under new Ohio standards”: The Associated Press has this report.

The Columbus Dispatch reports today that “Way cleared for man’s execution by new method.”

The Vindicator of Youngstown, Ohio reports today that “Family hails Biros ruling.”

And Bill Mears of CNN.com reports that “Court allows Ohio executions to resume.”

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

“Kentucky’s Highest Court Halts Executions in State”: John Schwartz has this article today in The New York Times.

The Louisville Courier-Journal reports today that “High court rules regulation needed for lethal injection.”

The Lexington Herald-Leader contains an article headlined “Court: No executions until death penalty process changed.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Ky. court says state must readopt lethal injection.”

You can access yesterday’s 4-3 ruling of the Supreme Court of Kentucky at this link.

“From Footnote to Fame in Civil Rights History”: The New York Times contains this article today.

“Turkey slaughter lawsuit won’t fly, judges rule; A federal appeals panel says the Humane Society did not have the standing to sue the USDA for asserting that a 1958 congressional act mandating humane slaughter does not extend to poultry”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

My earlier coverage of last Friday’s Ninth Circuit ruling appears at this link.

“The Alienator: Making sense of Justice Scalia’s personality–and his theory.” Online at Slate, Emily Bazelon has this review of Joan Biskupic’s new book, “American Original: The Life and Constitution of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.”

And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Marcia Coyle has a related post titled “Gobble, Gobble v. Quack, Quack” that begins, “Just about everyone knows now that Justice Antonin Scalia likes to hunt.”

“Obama Wants Computer Privacy Ruling Overturned”: David Kravets has this post today at Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog.

“The strange case of Al-Ghizzawi”: Lyle Denniston has this interesting post this evening at “SCOTUSblog.”

By a vote of 7-2, the Washington State Supreme Court upholds an $8 million default judgment, plus reasonable attorneys’ fees, against the car manufacturer Hyundai for “deliberate and willful discovery abuse”: Today’s ruling consists of a majority opinion and a dissenting opinion.

Update: The Associated Press reports that “Wash. court reinstates $8M award against Hyundai.”

“City to pay $50,000 for citation issued over obscene gesture”: Today’s edition of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette contains an article that begins, “The city of Pittsburgh has tentatively agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a federal lawsuit brought by a man who was cited in 2006 for giving the middle finger to a motorist and a police officer.”

“Ruling Lets Atlantic Yards Seize Land”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

The Wall Street Journal reports today that “Builders Net Win in N.Y. Case; Court Says State Can Claim Land for Brooklyn Project; Game Is Back on for NBA Arena.”

Bloomberg News reports that “Bruce Ratner’s Atlantic Yards Project Will Proceed.”

Reuters reports that “NY top court rules for state in Atlantic Yards case.”

And The New York Law Journal reports that “Atlantic Yards Plan Clears Hurdle With Ruling on Eminent Domain.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s New York State Court of Appeals ruling appears at this link.

“Key coordinator of detainee policy quits”: Today’s edition of The Washington Post contains an article that begins, “A key official in the Obama administration’s effort to remake detention policy and close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay has resigned. Phillip Carter, who was appointed deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee policy in April, said in a brief telephone interview that he was leaving for ‘personal and family reasons’ and not because of any policy differences with the administration.”

And Carol Rosenberg of The Miami Herald reports that “Detainee policy appointee quits Pentagon post.”

“Promotions ordered for New Haven firefighters”: The New Haven Register today contains an article that begins, “A U.S. District Court judge, under instruction by the Supreme Court, Tuesday entered a judgment finding that the city violated the civil rights of a group of white firefighters when it threw out two promotional exams in 2004, and ordered the city to promote 14 of them.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Judge orders New Haven firefighter promotions.”

“U.S. Senate committee to consider nomination of R.I. judge”: Today’s edition of The Providence Journal contains an article that begins, “The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee will consider President Obama’s nomination of Rhode Island Superior Court Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday.”

“Prempro plaintiffs’ lawyers sold their story to the jury”: This article appears today in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Justice a unique voice on high court”: In today’s edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bill Rankin has this article about Presiding Justice George H. Carley of the Supreme Court of Georgia.

“Court Kills ‘Round-The-Clock’ Surveillance Case”: At Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog, David Kravets has this post about a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued last week.

“Feds seek rehearing of baseball drug list ruling”: The Associated Press has this report.

Update: At “The Volokh Conspiracy,” law professor Orin Kerr has this post linking to an online copy of the rehearing petition.

“The issue before us is whether a School District, in order to maintain a policy of complete religious neutrality, may prohibit celebratory religious music at school-sponsored events.” So begins an opinion that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued today.

“Atlantic Yards Project in Brooklyn Clears Legal Hurdle”: The New York Times has a news update that begins, “The last major obstacle to a groundbreaking for the $4.9 billion Atlantic Yards development in Brooklyn fell Tuesday when New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, dismissed a challenge to the state’s use of eminent domain on behalf of the developer, Bruce C. Ratner.”

And The Associated Press has a report headlined “Court: NY can seize property for new NJ Nets arena.”

You can access today’s ruling of the New York State Court of Appeals at this link.

“Landowners on Florida beaches fighting to be sand owners, too; Supreme Court to examine ‘taking’ of private property”: Robert Barnes has this article today in The Washington Post.

“Line Drawn in One Case Dissolves in Another”: In today’s edition of The New York Times, Adam Liptak has this new installment of his “Sidebar” column.

“Right and Left Join to Oppose Government in Criminal Cases”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

“A costly recount”: Today’s edition of The Philadelphia Inquirer contains an editorial that begins, “At the risk of being nicknamed the million-dollar man, Pittsburgh lawyer Templeton Smith Jr. insisted on a costly – and likely fruitless – recount in the close race for a fourth seat on the Pennsylvania Superior Court.”