“What Were They Thinking: The Supreme Court in Revue, October Term 2009.” Via “The Volokh Conspiracy” comes word that John P. Elwood has posted this article online.

“Cheap at the price: Britain’s new highest court has made few headlines; It matters all the same.” The Economist has this report.

“Reshaped Supreme Court charts new era”: Joan Biskupic will have this article Friday in USA Today.

And Friday’s edition of The Washington Times will contain an article headlined “High-profile cases fill Supreme Court docket; Kagan recused from many.”

“Church’s protests at military funerals a free-speech test for Supreme Court”: Robert Barnes will have this article Friday in The Washington Post.

“Alito: High court TV has pitfalls.” The Associated Press has this report.

The Des Moines Register has a blog post titled “Alito says television cameras would impact Supreme Court proceedings.”

And in somewhat related news, The Kentucky Kernel — the student newspaper of the University of Kentucky — reports today that “Alito to tell of Washington experiences.”

“Judge To Allow 90-Minute Closing Arguments In Steven Hayes Case”: The Hartford Courant has this news update.

The New Haven Register has a news update headlined “State granted extra time for Hayes closing argument.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Defense challenges evidence in Conn. home invasion.”

“Roberts-led Supreme Court marks 5 years”: Bill Mears of CNN.com has this article, along with an article headlined “The Kagan factor: Will she be a reliable liberal on the bench?”

“This published order will constitute a public reprimand of Cyrus Sanai in the form of a published opinion in West’s Federal Reporter.” So states an order that the Judicial Council of the Ninth Circuit issued today.

Three-judge Ninth Circuit panel proves unable to vanquish legal dispute over ownership of the idea behind “Ghost Hunters” television series: Back on June 3, 2010, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a ruling in which, according to an article by Steven M. Ellis of Metropolitan News-Enterprise, “[t]he Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals * * * declined to reinstate a lawsuit accusing NBC Universal and the former Sci-Fi Channel of stealing the idea for the television show ‘Ghost Hunters.'”

In other coverage of the original three-judge panel’s ruling, the “THR, Esq.” blog of The Hollywood Reporter had a post titled “Appeals court sides with NBC Universal in ‘Ghost Hunters’ idea theft case.”

Today, however, the Ninth Circuit issued this order granting rehearing en banc in the case. Thus, the dispute over ownership of the idea behind “Ghost Hunters” remains alive. Yes, it’s alive!!! Rather spooky, isn’t it?

Ninth Circuit affirms the dismissal of a lawsuit challenging Alaska’s “merit selection” process for choosing state court judges: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at this link.

“Like many, Beverly Stayart was curious about what she would find when she put her name into a search engine. In this case it was Yahoo. To her dismay, the comprehensive search results eventually contained links to websites and advertisements that she found shameful.” So begins today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Stayart v. Yahoo! Inc.

Law professor Eric Goldman, at his “Technology & Marketing Law Blog,” has provided earlier coverage of this case and a related lawsuit in posts that you can access here, here, and here.

“Judge Posner: Conrad Black’s crimes ‘old-fashioned fraud’; But former media mogul tells appeals court his conviction should be overturned.” This article appears today in The Chicago Sun-Times.

The Palm Beach Daily News reports today that “Conrad Black’s attorneys cite Honest Services Law weakening in appeal of his conviction.”

The Guardian (UK) contains an article headlined “Conrad Black has ‘good chance’ of clearing name in court; Former Telegraph owner Black’s lawyers challenge convictions at US appeal court; Legal experts say Black has good chance of overturning three of four convictions.”

National Post has an article headlined “Looks like fraud: judge in Black case.”

Luiza Ch. Savage of Macleans reports that “U.S. judges grill lawyers in Conrad Black case.”

The Associated Press reports that “Minnie Mouse metaphor gets laugh in Black’s appeal.”

And Reuters reports that “U.S. judges weigh ex-mogul Conrad Black’s appeal; Ex-media mogul Black’s appeal critiqued by judges; ‘Honest services; law under microscope; Appeals court will issue ruling at later date.”

“Brothers on nationwide walk rail against Supreme Court election decision”: Paul J. Nyden had this article yesterday in The Charleston (W. Va.) Gazette.

“Shady Secrets”: The New York Times today contains an editorial that begins, “A midnight filing by the Obama administration on Friday, asking a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit because of the so-called state secrets doctrine, again raises a troubling question.”

“Steven Hayes Defense: I Am Less of A Monster Than Komisarjevsky; This Is Legal Strategy and Nonsense.” Columnist Helen Ubinas has this essay today in The Hartford Courant.

And in related coverage, the newspaper also reports that “Attorney Wants Hearing On Possible Contempt Charge Postponed; Donovan Asks For 13-Day Continuance But Doesn’t Say Why.”

“Next Supreme Court Term Could Be Hard On Plaintiff Lawyers”: Daniel Fisher has this post at his “Full Disclosure” blog at Forbes.com.

“Judge who struck down Prop. 8 to retire”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

In today’s edition of The San Jose Mercury News, Howard Mintz reports that “Federal Judge Vaughn Walker announces retirement.”

Maura Dolan of The Los Angeles Times reports that “Judge who overturned Proposition 8 to retire.”

And The Recorder reports that “Calif. Federal Judge in Gay Marriage Case to Return to Private Practice.”

“Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to give Opperman Lecture”: Drake University issued this news release today.

“High court looks at military funeral protests”: Mark Sherman of The Associated Press has this report.

“Big cases await U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010-2011 term”: Bill Mears of CNN.com has this report.

“President Obama Names Two to U.S. Circuit Courts”: The White House today issued a news release that begins, “Today, President Obama nominated Caitlin Halligan for a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and Jimmie V. Reyna to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.”

And at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” David Ingram and Mike Scarcella have a post titled “Obama Nominates N.Y. Lawyer to D.C. Circuit.”

“AP Source: Obama to tap NY lawyer for DC circuit.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “President Barack Obama is nominating an attorney from New York County’s district attorney’s office to a vacancy on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. A government official said Wednesday that Obama was nominating Caitlin Halligan, general counsel at the D.A.’s office, to the court.”

You can learn more about the rumored nominee here and here.

“Judges hear arguments in Conrad Black appeal”: The Associated Press has this report.

Bloomberg News reports that “Black’s Lawyers Tell Appeals Court to Throw Out Mail Fraud Conviction.”

And CTV News reports that “Judge skeptical of Black lawyer’s arguments.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has already posted the oral argument audio file online for download (7.83MB mp3 audio file).

“Senate Responds To Justices on Crush Videos”: Marcia Coyle has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

The Statesman-Journal of Salem, Oregon reports today that “Bill would ban animal-abuse videos; Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley’s legislation targets so-called animal ‘crush’ depictions.”

And earlier this week, Bill Mears of CNN.com reported that “Senators introduce law to ban ‘crush’ videos of animal cruelty.”

“Royalty formula for music-streaming sites is flawed, court rules; A federal appeals court sides with Yahoo and RealNetworks in a legal battle with songwriters; The ruling could affect many other websites that stream music”: The Los Angeles Times has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued yesterday.

In other coverage, Reuters reports that “Court orders music download license fee review.”

And Variety reports that “Appeals court tosses ASCAP fees; Yahoo and RealNetworks score a victory.”

“Could corporate-privacy case gut FOIA?” Tony Mauro has this news analysis online at the First Amendment Center.

“Jail Confession Is Retold in a Triple Murder Trial”: The New York Times contains this article today.

The Hartford Courant reports today that “Correction Officer Says Hayes Admitted Killing Hawke-Petit; Testimony In Case Ends; Final Arguments Expected Later This Week.”

And The New Haven Register reports that “Testimony ends in Hayes trial: Case expected to go to jury Monday.”

“Fair Courts in the Cross-Fire”: Today’s edition of The New York Times contains an editorial that begins, “Holding elections to fill important state judgeships is one of those ideas that may sound good in theory but works terribly in practice.”

“Central Florida group seeks ouster of 2 high-court judges; A group seeks the removal of two Florida Supreme Court judges over a federal healthcare law decision”: The News Service of Florida has this report.

“Appeal by reputed Klansman Seale still could be heard by high court”: Jerry Mitchell has this article today in The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Mississippi.

“Senators hear reasons to close loophole; High court’s ruling affected conviction of Enron leader”: This article appears today in The Houston Chronicle.

“Supreme Court to hear Anna Nicole Smith estate case”: Joan Biskupic has this article today in USA Today.

Mark Sherman of The Associated Press reports that “Pfizer stock sold, Roberts to hear company’s cases.”

And today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition” contained an audio segment entitled “Kagan Recused From Pending Supreme Court Cases” featuring Nina Totenberg.

“Black bids to nullify convictions”: Today’s edition of National Post contains an article that begins, “Conrad Black’s legal juggernaut continues today in a U.S. appeals court where a panel of judges will be asked to overturn his three mail and wire fraud convictions in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June to set aside the former media baron’s honest-services convictions.”

And The Palm Beach Daily News reports today that “Conrad Black to seek dismissal of conviction at U.S. Court of Appeals.”

“Chief Justice Roberts Sells Pfizer Shares”: Brent Kendall of Dow Jones Newswires has a report that begins, “Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. recently sold his stock holdings in Pfizer Inc., which clears him to participate in two cases involving the drug maker that are pending on the Supreme Court’s docket.”

“Supreme Court Takes Cases on Corporate Rights”: Adam Liptak will have this article Wednesday in The New York Times.

Robert Barnes of The Washington Post has a news update headlined “Supreme Court to consider corporate privacy rights, estate of Anna Nicole Smith.”

And David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times has a news update headlined “High court to take case that could loosen rule on illegally seized evidence; The justices will decide Kentucky vs. King, in which police searched and took evidence from an apartment that they entered by mistake; It’s among the 14 cases they will take on this term.”