“Court overturns California ban on violent felons owning body armor; Police advocacy group says the ruling will put officers and the public in danger; ‘It’s going to make criminals more bold and more likely to shoot it out with the police,’ one official says”: The Los Angeles Times contains this article today.

My earlier coverage of the ruling appears at this link.

“Gun maker hails Utah’s bid against fed regulation; Guns made, sold and kept within state lines are exempt from fed rules, proposal says”: This article appears today in The Salt Lake Tribune.

“Signed and unconstitutional”: Today in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Bradley A. Smith has an op-ed that begins, “Gov. Jim Doyle has signed legislation requiring Wisconsin taxpayers to fund political campaigns for the state Supreme Court, exposing the state to an almost-certain lawsuit on First Amendment grounds.”

“Grandparents fight for rights”: This article about Iowa’s grandparent visitation law appeared Friday in The Des Moines Register.

“Judge mulls pivotal issues in Kan. abortion trial”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A judge is weighing a critical legal question in the case of a man who confessed to killing one of the nation’s few late-term abortion providers: Can the man claim at his trial that the slaying was justified to save the lives of unborn children?”

“Christian group wages campus fight; Schools’ codes of conduct clashing with religious views”: This article about Alliance Defense Fund appears today in The Arizona Republic.

“U.S. Supreme Court: A cast of interesting characters.” UPI has a report that begins, “Who are these people on the U.S. Supreme Court, and why do they think they have the right to tell the rest of us what to do?”

“State high court refines idea of ‘ownership’ in truck seizure; Under forfeiture law, ‘innocent owner’ also responsible for a vehicle’s seizure, ruling says”: Yesterday’s edition of The Minneapolis Star Tribune contained an article that begins, “If two Minnesotans own something together, and one of them commits a crime that causes that property to be seized, the innocent co-owner is not entitled to get it back, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled this week.”

And Friday’s edition of The St. Paul Pioneer Press contained an article headlined “Wife drunk and driving the family’s car? Tough; Cops can still seize it, state high court rules.”

You can access last Thursday’s 4-3 ruling of the Supreme Court of Minnesota at this link.

“Justices Revisit Rule Requiring Lab Testimony”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

“Court tosses state ban on felons’ body armor”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “A decade-old California law that bans possession of body armor by anyone with a violent felony conviction is unconstitutional because the average person wouldn’t be able to decipher which types of bulletproof vests are prohibited, a state appeals court has ruled.”

You can access Thursday’s ruling of California’s Second District Court of Appeal at this link.

“2nd Circuit Rejects Aliens’ Claims of Unlawful Prolonged Detention”: law.com has a report that begins, “The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the dismissal of a central claim in a high-profile putative class action filed on behalf of Arab and Muslim noncitizens who were subjected to prolonged, abusive detention by immigration officials in the wake of Sept. 11.”

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

“Feds defy order to provide same-sex benefits”: Today in The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article that begins, “The Obama administration refused Friday to follow a federal judge’s order to provide insurance benefits to the wife of a lesbian court employee in San Francisco and said its hands were tied by a discriminatory law.”

My earlier coverage of the order can be accessed here.

“Rule Invites Cameras Into Federal Civil Cases”: John Schwartz has this article today in The New York Times.

My earlier coverage appears at this link.

“No More Sexting With Sotomayor on the Court”: Jessica Dweck has this post at the “XX factor” blog.

“Decision a win for waggish pooches”: The Omaha World Herald today contains an article that begins, “A Nebraska Supreme Court ruling issued Friday means dog owners won’t have to carry liability policies along with their pooper-scoopers. The court majority said owners are not automatically liable if their pooches injure people while being playful or mischievous.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Nebraska at this link.

“Bill favoring Narragansetts clears Senate committee”: Today’s edition of The Providence (R.I.) Journal contains an article that begins, “Without dissent, a key Senate panel took a big step Thursday toward reversing last February’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that blocked a special land status for the Narragansett Indians — and many other tribes across the country.” Yesterday’s newspaper, meanwhile, contained an article headlined “Obama behind effort to reverse Indian lands ruling.”

And in related coverage, The Cape Cod Times reports today that “Mashpee tribe’s casino hopes kept alive.”

“Supreme Court case could affect Chandra Levy slaying trial”: Michael Doyle of McClatchy Newspapers has this report.

“Group sues over public financing of court candidates”: Today’s edition of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contains an article that begins, “Wisconsin Right to Life sued the state Friday in federal court over a new law that provides public financing for candidates running for state Supreme Court.”

The Wisconsin State Journal reports that “Anti-abortion group files suit over supreme court election law.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Federal lawsuit filed over Wis. campaign law.”

“Troy Davis case raising novel legal issues”: Bill Rankin has this article today in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“Sotomayor still overwhelmed by new life in limelight”: This article appears today in The Puerto Rico Daily Sun.

And The New York Daily News reports today that “Justice Sonia Sotomayor looking for law not love; still humbled by appointment.”

“Sotomayor disappointed by ‘wise Latina’ souvenirs”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Sonia Sotomayor said Friday that she is touched by the outpouring of public support as the first Hispanic justice on the U.S. Supreme Court but disappointed with the commercialization of her image and, at times, startled by her own celebrity.”

“Death Sentences Dropped, but Executions Rose in ’09”: John Schwartz has this article today in The New York Times.

The Dallas Morning News reports today that “Death sentences in Texas declining along with nationwide trend, anti-capital punishment group says.”

And The Houston Chronicle contains an article headlined “Steep decline in death sentences.”

“Hurry Up and Wait”: Linda Greenhouse has this post at the “Opinionator” blog of The New York Times.

In news from Oklahoma: Today’s edition of The Oklahoman contains an article headlined “Granite monument to go on north side of Oklahoma Capitol” that begins, “A Capitol preservation group has decided to place a Ten Commandments monument on the north side of the state Capitol after a law was passed last legislative session allowing the Judeo-Christian monument to be installed on the grounds.”

CNN.com reports that “Online posting of women’s abortion information challenged in Oklahoma.”

And yesterday evening’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered” contained an audio segment entitled “Oklahoma Abortion Law ‘Invasive,’ Critics Say.”

“U.S. courts in West to allow video coverage of civil cases; The experiment in California and other states in the 9th Circuit is designed to improve understanding of how the judicial process works”: Carol J. Williams has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

In today’s edition of The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Policy shift could put Prop. 8 suit on TV.”

Greg Moran of The San Diego Union-Tribune has a report headlined “9th Circuit: Cameras OK, sometimes.”

The Honolulu Advertiser reports that “Federal courts to allow news cameras.”

And law.com reports that “9th Circuit Ready for Trial Court Close-ups; Chief judge said the court hopes cameras will lead to enhanced confidence in the rule of law.”

Yesterday, the Public Information Office of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a news release headlined “Ninth Circuit Judicial Council Approves Experimental Use of Cameras in District Courts.”

“Kin Draws Small Firm Lawyer Into High-Profile Supreme Court Privilege Case; Attorney J. Craig Smith said he received threats from big law firms that wanted him to turn over his cousin’s case to them”: law.com has this report.

“Young says solo ‘no’ vote expressed his frustration; Day of tough issues leads lawmaker to oppose Brandeis recognition”: This article appears today in The Anchorage Daily News.

“Number of death sentences falls to a historic low”: Robert Barnes and Maria Glod will have this article Friday in The Washington Post.

“Supreme Court delays medical malpractice damage cap ruling”: The Chicago Tribune has this news update.

“Newburgh lawyer wins $34.3M verdict for client vs. drugmaker Pfizer”: This article appeared Tuesday in The Times Herald-Record of Middletown, New York.

Crocs footware, on appeal: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued this ruling today.

The Nintendo Wii, on appeal: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued this decision today.

“Senate panel delays vote on Thompson nomination”: The Providence (R.I.) Journal has a news update that begins, “The Senate Judiciary Committee has held over until the new year a vote on President Obama’s nomination of Rhode Island Superior Superior Court Judge O. Rogeriee Thompson to a vacant seat on the Boston-based First Circuit U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.”

Update: The Providence Journal’s news update has itself been updated to now report that “Senate panel to take up Thompson nomination Dec. 24.”

“N.C. judges get easy hearing in Senate”: Today’s edition of The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina contains an article that begins, “North Carolina Judges James Wynn of Raleigh and Albert Diaz of Charlotte, on their path to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, breezed through a brief confirmation hearing in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday, facing just a handful of questions from three senators.”

And yesterday’s edition of The Charlotte Observer contained an editorial entitled “Senate should confirm Al Diaz, Jim Wynn to court; The two state judges would add much to the U.S. 4th Circuit.”

“Going Robe: Obama’s judicial appointment strategy isn’t working; Here’s a better one.” Law professor David Fontana has this essay online at The New Republic.