Ninth Circuit reinstates charges against Los Angeles attorney Pierce O’Donnell for violating federal campaign laws by allegedly asking employees of his law firm to contribute to the 2004 presidential campaign of John Edwards and then reimbursing those who did: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at this link.
The Los Angeles Times reported on this matter in two articles (here and here) published in July 2008.
And the FBI’s news release from July 2008 announcing the indictment was headlined “Prominent Los Angeles Attorney Indicted for Making ‘Conduit Contributions’ to a Federal Election Campaing.”
“Federal court defines role of politics in judicial races”: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a news update that begins, “Wisconsin judges can join political parties but cannot endorse partisan candidates or directly solicit campaign donations, a federal appeals court ruled Monday.”
You can access today’s ruling of a partially divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit at this link.
“Torture Memo Author’s Lawyers Request Lawsuit Be Dismissed”: Bay City News has a report that begins, “A federal appeals court in San Francisco grappled Monday with whether to allow a former military prisoner to sue a University of California law professor for writing memos that allegedly led to his torture.”
“English Muffin-maker guards `nooks and crannies'”: The Associated Press has this report on a case that is now pending on appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
“Justice Clarence Thomas seems bored. Why doesn’t he run for president in 2012?” Kashmir Hill and David Lat had this op-ed yesterday in The Washington Post.
Access online today’s opinions in argued cases and Order List of the U.S. Supreme Court: The Court today issued four decisions in argued cases.
1. Justice Stephen G. Breyer delivered the opinion of the Court in Dolan v. United States, No. 09-367. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.
2. Justice Breyer also delivered the opinion of the Court in Holland v. Florida, No. 09-5327. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.
3. Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the opinion of the Court in Astrue v. Ratliff, No. 08-1322. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.
4. And Justice John Paul Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court in Carachuri-Rosendo v. Holder, No. 09-60. You can access the opinion at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.
You can access today’s Order List at this link. The Court granted review in three cases and postponed resolving the question of jurisdiction in a direct appeal case.
In early news coverage, The Associated Press has reports headlined “Court to review Calif. plan to cut prison numbers“; “Court to decide whether to reinstate death penalty“; “High court rejects appeal in rendition case“; “High court sides with immigrant with minor record“; and “Court won’t get involved in fight over adult store.”
“David Souter’s Bad Constitutional History: The former justice’s logic would justify Plessy v. Ferguson.” Law professors John O. McGinnis and Michael B. Rappaport have this op-ed today in The Wall Street Journal. You can freely access the full text of the op-ed via Google News.
“Lawyer for court also aided Foxwoods; Jeffrey B. Rotwitt took casino cases before Justice Ronald D. Castille while working on the Family Court deal for him”: This article appears today in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“Who should control California’s prison budget? U.S. Supreme Court may weigh in; Judges have been intervening in prison management to mandate reforms, taking control from state corrections officials; Overcrowding is at the center of the case”: Carol J. Williams had this article yesterday in The Los Angeles Times.
“Olson surprises many conservatives by seeking to overturn gay-marriage ban”: Robert Barnes has this article today in The Washington Post.
Today in The San Jose Mercury News, Howard Mintz reports that “Proposition 8 trial reaches final stage.”
And The Sacramento Bee contains a front page article headlined “Proposition 8 case over gay marriage reaches arguments.”
“Financial records show justices enjoy overseas travel”: Bill Mears of CNN.com has this report.
Saturday’s edition of The New York Times reported that “Supreme Court Runs Financial Gamut.”
And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” David Ingram has a post titled “Souter Gets a Kindle.”
“Under the U.S. Supreme Court: Fertile ground for Tea Party growth.” Michael Kirkland of UPI has this report.
