“Wone conspiracy case moves forward, D.C. judge rules”: Today’s edition of The Washington Post contains an article that begins, “A D.C. Superior Court judge’s decision Thursday to allow the Robert Wone conspiracy trial to move forward without any major acquittals sent defense attorneys racing to revise their strategy and coordinate witnesses for the rest of the proceedings.”

“A Second Chance for Joshua”: At the “Opinionator” blog of The New York Times, Linda Greenhouse has a post that begins, “Two Republican senators find the memos that Elena Kagan wrote as a Supreme Court law clerk to be mysteriously ‘troubling.'”

And The Associated Press reports that “Kagan’s e-mails to go public as hearings approach.”

“Gardner executed: 25 years on death row ends in hail of bullets.” This article appears today in The Salt Lake Tribune, along with articles headlined “Firing squad: An eyewitness account of Gardner’s execution; Tribune reporter was one of nine media witnesses“; “Two loud bangs end 25 years on death row for Gardner“; “For a condemned killer’s family, one final visit; Loved ones say he’s ‘at peace’“; “How Gardner spent his final hours“; and “Protesters pray, plead for end to capital punishment; They lament Utah has death penalty but keep hope.”

Today’s edition of The Deseret News contains articles headlined “Gardner’s life ends with hardly a word; Witnesses not certain he died immediately“; “Brother, daughter allowed 1 last hug through prison bars“; “Families, strangers commemorate Ronnie Lee Gardner’s death differently“; and “9 remain on Utah’s death row; the next to be executed is unclear.”

The New York Times reports that “Utah Executes Murderer by Firing Squad.”

CNN.com reports that “Gardner executed by firing squad.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Utah firing squad executes convicted killer.”

“Judiciary chairman expects July vote for Kagan”: The Associated Press has this report.

“History favors Texas judge facing possible removal”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “When Texas Judge Sharon Keller answers charges Friday of callously closing her courtroom to a man on death row, she could join the disgraced list of Texas jurists not indicted but still taken off the bench.”

“Stevens’ Recusal Makes Difference in Florida Property Ruling”: Tony Mauro has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Court Says Public Owns Restored Beaches”: Jess Bravin of The Wall Street Journal has this news update.

“Justices Allow Search of Work-Issued Pager”: Adam Liptak of The New York Times has this news update.

And Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor reports that “Supreme Court backs police department that read employee’s texts; A police sergeant was using a work-issued pager to send sexually explicit texts; The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the police department was entitled to read his messages.”

“Choreographing Kagan’s path to confirmation”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Supreme Court rules in text-messaging, property rights cases”: Robert Barnes of The Washington Post has this news update.

And David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times has a news update headlined “Justices rule in favor of California police chief who read employee’s texts; The Supreme Court says the Ontario employer’s perusal of an officer’s sexually explicit messages, sent on his work pager, is justified and didn’t violate the 4th Amendment.”

Access online today’s opinions in argued cases of the U.S. Supreme Court: The Court today issued five rulings in argued cases.

1. Justice Sonia Sotomayor delivered the opinion of the Court in Dillon v. United States, No. 09-6338. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.

2. Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the opinion of the Court in Schwab v. Reilly, No. 08-538. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.

3. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy delivered the opinion of the Court in Ontario v. Quon. No. 08-1332. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.

4. Justice Antonin Scalia announced the judgment of the Court in Stop the Beach Renourishment, Inc. v. Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection, No. 08-1151. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.

5. And Justice John Paul Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court in New Process Steel, L.P. v. NLRB, No. 08-1457. You can access the ruling at this link and the oral argument transcript at this link.

In early news coverage, The Associated Press has reports headlined “Court rules text message search legal“; “Fla. homeowners lose beach dispute at high court“; and “Court: 2-person labor board can’t make decisions.”

“Prop. 8 gay-marriage trial goes to judge in California”: The Sacramento Bee contains this article today.

In today’s edition of The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko has an article headlined “Prop. 8 backers: Marriage promotes procreation.”

The Los Angeles Times reports that “Judge poses weighty questions as Proposition 8 trial closes; Attorneys present closing arguments for and against California’s ban on same-sex marriage; Judge grills them for hours on the substantial sexual, social, legal and historical issues intrinsic to the case.”

Howard Mintz of The San Jose Mercury News has an article headlined “Prop 8 trial: Judge troubled by lack of evidence from defense.”

The New York Times has an article headlined “Closing Arguments in Marriage Trial.”

Robert Barnes of The Washington Post reports that “California court hears closing arguments in same-sex marriage case.”

The Wall Street Journal reports that “Gay-Marriage Trial Wraps Up; Lawyers Give Closing Arguments in Fight Over California Measure Prohibiting Same-Sex Weddings.”

Dan Levine of The Recorder has an article headlined “Where’s the Evidence? Judge Asks Proposition 8 Supporters; Packed San Francisco courtroom hears highly anticipated closing arguments in same-sex marriage case.”

The Associated Press reports that “Lawyers give final arguments in gay marriage case.”

And from National Public Radio, today’s broadcast of “Morning Edition” contained an audio segment entitled “Judge To Take Weeks To Rule On Gay Marriage,” while yesterday evening’s broadcast of “All Things Considered” contained an audio segment entitled “Lawyers Make Final Arguments In Gay Marriage Case.”

“Utah convict’s choice of firing squad focuses spotlight on death penalty”: This article appears today in The Kansas City Star.

“The Supreme Court’s personal touch: Cases are chosen with broad principles in mind, but the decisions still can right very specific wrongs; Two rulings this week illustrate how.” The Los Angeles Times contains this editorial today.

“Prosecution rests in Wone trial; judge to rule Thursday on dismissing charges”: This front page article appears today in The Washington Post.

“US court tosses protester’s arrest at Liberty Bell”: The Associated Press has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued today.

“Nowhere To Hide: Ignoring Maher Arar won’t make his torture claims go away.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Should Retired Justices Be Called Back to Supreme Court?” At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” David Ingram has a post that begins, “Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is thinking about proposing legislation that would allow a retired U.S. Supreme Court justice to sit in a case when a current justice has recused — in what would be a major shift in how the Court operates.”

The Constitution and Souter: He seems to believe that judges have the last word — rather than our founding document; Let’s hope Kagan feels otherwise.” David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey have this op-ed today in USA Today.

“Prosecution Rests in Robert Wone Case”: Julio Menache has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Deans defend Kagan on diversity”: Josh Gerstein has this post at his “Under the Radar” blog at Politico.com.

“We must decide whether the system that Illinois is using to fill a famous vacancy in one of its senate slots has strayed so far from the mark that a preliminary injunction should have been entered by the district court.” A lawsuit brought by two registered voters in Illinois alleging a violation of their rights guaranteed by the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives rise to a ruling that a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued today.

“Lawyer: Gays denied right by Calif marriage ban.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The landmark federal trial over the constitutionality of California’s gay marriage ban resumed Wednesday, with a lawyer arguing that supporters of the ban were trying to deprive same-sex couples of a relationship the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized as a fundamental right.”

“Experts argue firing squad is a humane execution”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Push for court diversity hits snag; Partisan rancor ties up action on Obama nominees”: Joan Biskupic has this front page article today in USA Today.

En banc Tenth Circuit divides 6-5 over what is the proper standard for identifying a dependent Indian community under federal law: You can access yesterday’s en banc ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit at this link.

Two separate dissenting opinions, including one in which all five dissenting judges have joined, assert that the question presented is deserving of U.S. Supreme Court review.

Majority on divided three-judge Third Circuit panel holds that Verizon cannot evade its settlement of a class action despite new federal legislation, enacted before final approval of the settlement, eliminating plaintiffs’ cause of action: You can access yesterday’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at this link.

This case would seem to be a strong candidate for either rehearing en banc or U.S. Supreme Court review if Verizon decides to continue to pursue its challenge to the settlement.

“Closing arguments set in Calif. gay marriage trial”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Law-school academics come out in support of Kagan for high court”: Bill Mears of CNN.com has this report.

Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor reports that “Top law school deans endorse Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan; Deans of 68 major law schools endorsed Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan; Her experience heading the Harvard Law School prepared her to decide some of the country’s toughest issues, they say.”

And today’s edition of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that “MU’s law dean praises Kagan; Marquette’s Kearney says court nominee is a fine lawyer.”

“Closing arguments begin in Calif. trial on same-sex marriage”: Robert Barnes of The Washington Post has this news update.

And in today’s edition of The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Prop. 8 backers target 18,000 same-sex marriages.”

“Conspiracy trial in Wone killing shifts focus”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

“Full 11th Circuit Wrestles With Home Depot Sex Harassment Suit; Judges debate how court’s earlier decisions in case fit with landmark ruling favoring plaintiffs”: Andy Peters of the Fulton County Daily Report has this article.

“Prop. 8 judge wants a discussion of ‘choice’ in sexual orientation; Closing arguments in the constitutionality case are due Wednesday; Lawyers have been told to address specific issues”: Maura Dolan has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

And today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition” contained an audio segment entitled “Lawyers To Wrap Up Gay-Marriage Trial.”

“Fellow law school deans embrace Kagan for court”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Federal appeals court reinstates charges against L.A. attorney Pierce O’Donnell; The prosecutors plan to move forward with the 2004 John Edwards campaign finance case”: Scott Glover has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

And law.com reports that “9th Circuit Reinstates Campaign Finance Charges Against Pierce O’Donnell.”

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