“Court in NY gives government victory against ACORN”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal appeals court on Wednesday handed the government a victory by temporarily blocking a judge’s finding that Congress was wrong to halt federal funding to the activist group ACORN.”
“U.S. Senate confirms area native Vanaskie to appeals court bench”: The Times-Tribune of Scranton, Pennsylvania has a news update that begins, “After 16 years as a federal judge, U.S. District Judge Thomas I. Vanaskie earned promotion Wednesday that friends and colleagues said was richly deserved. The Shamokin native, a descendant of coal miners, is on his way to sitting as a judge on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Senate voted 77-20 on Wednesday to confirm Judge Vanaskie as the court’s newest judge.”
And The Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has a news update headlined “U.S. Senate confirms Judge Vanaskie.”
“Justice Breyer: My Wife is Infallible.” Tony Mauro has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”
“Same-sex divorce case to be heard in Dallas on Wednesday”: Today’s edition of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram contains an article that begins, “The controversial question of whether same-sex couples who marry in other states should be able to divorce each other in Texas – a state that only recognizes marriages between one man and one woman – heats up Wednesday when it goes before an appeals court in Dallas.”
“Obama seeks court nominee who backs women’s rights”: The Associated Press has this updated report.
“Rendell pushes for merit selection of judges”: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a news update that begins, “The recent charges against state Sen. Jane Orie stemming from the 2009 Supreme Court race, combined with the ‘explosive’ growth in funds spent to elect appellate judges, are strong reasons why Pennsylvania should move to a merit selection system for judges, Gov. Ed Rendell said today.”
And The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has a news update headlined “Gov. Ed Rendell urges Legislature to allow merit selection of appellate court judges.”
“Chicagoan joins Supreme Court search”: “The Swamp” blog of The Chicago Tribune has a post that begins, “President Barack Obama is casting a wide net in his search for a new Supreme Court nominee, with the White House adding a federal judge from Chicago to its working list and soliciting suggestions from lawmakers in a closed-door session today. Judge Ann Claire Williams, who became the first African-American appellate judge in the federal Seventh Circuit, has joined a working list of about 10 other candidates, the White House confirmed today.”
“Obama: No litmus tests on abortion for court pick.” The Associated Press has this report.
“Court says Ga. lawyers can’t get extra money”: The Associated Press has this report.
And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “The lodestar as gold standard; Lawyer bonus fee less likely.”
Access online today’s rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court in argued cases: The Court today has issued three opinions in argued cases.
1. Justice Sonia Sotomayor delivered the opinion of the Court in Jerman v. Carlisle, McNellie, Rini, Kramer & Ulrich LPA, No. 08-1200.
2. Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. delivered the opinion of the Court in Perdue v. Kenny A., No. 08-970.
3. And Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. delivered the opinion of the Court in Conkright v. Frommert, No. 08-810.