“Supreme Court to consider Virginia petition April 15”: The Richmond Times-Dispatch has an article that begins, “On April 15 the U.S. Supreme Court will discuss Virginia’s petition to have its lawsuit against new health legislation bypass appellate court review and be heard directly by the high court.”

“Ross Guberman, the President of Legal Writing Pro, discusses his new book, Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates.” This interview appears today at “SCOTUSblog.”

“New Supreme Court justices hear first cases”: The Des Moines Register has this news update.

In Friday’s Bashman news from Australia: The Age of Melbourne has a news update headlined “Armed thugs chase, bash man in Melbourne’s inner west.”

Meanwhile, last Thursday’s edition of The Daily Telegraph of Surry Hills, New South Wales, reported that “Foul-mouthed thugs bash man at station.”

“In our view it is unnecessary to explore in this case the question of whether and to what extent the Second Amendment right recognized in Heller applies outside the home.” So holds the majority on a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in a ruling issued today.

“Court won’t halt mental exam of Tucson suspect”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal appeals court rejected a request to halt the mental competency exam that’s being conducted on the suspect in the Tucson shooting rampage.”

“Oregon court rules teeth not considered dangerous weapon in a fight”: This article appears today in The Oregonian reporting on a ruling that the Oregon Court of Appeals issued yesterday.

“No charges in courthouse gunman’s jail escape plot”: The Associated Press has this report from Atlanta.

“Enraged by Walker, activists put Kloppenburg’s Supreme Court campaign on their shoulders”: The Capital Times of Madison, Wisconsin has this report.

An editor’s note accompanying the article explains that the author of the article “has asked for the return of a $5 donation he gave to a door-to-door solicitor in December who was working in support of JoAnne Kloppenburg’s Supreme Court campaign.”

“Appeals court sends union bill appeal to Supreme Court”: The Wisconsin State Journal has a news update that begins, “Finding that there are too many issues that require clarification, a state appeals court on Thursday sent the state attorney general’s appeal of a decision barring implementation of Gov. Scott Walker’s budget repair bill to the state Supreme Court.”

And The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a news update headlined “Appeals panel: Supreme Court should take up collective bargaining law.”

You can access today’s certification of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals at this link

“Jared Lee Loughner Appeals Judge’s Order on Mental Competency Examination”: Bloomberg News has this report.

The Arizona Republic reports today that “Effort to delay Loughner transfer is too late.”

The Springfield (Mo.) News-Leader reports today that “Tucson shooting suspect transferred to Fed Med.”

And USA Today reports that “Loughner’s lawyers challenge mental exam order.”

You can access at this link the petition for writ of mandamus that Loughner’s lawyers filed yesterday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Judge Posner on proximate cause, featuring “law by proverb”: Circuit Judge Richard A. Posner today issued this interesting opinion on behalf of a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

No cross-appeal for you! The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit today issued this decision addressing when it is appropriate to pursue a cross-appeal in that court.

“Rights Are Curtailed for Terror Suspects”: In today’s edition of The Wall Street Journal, Evan Perez has an article that begins, “New rules allow investigators to hold domestic-terror suspects longer than others without giving them a Miranda warning, significantly expanding exceptions to the instructions that have governed the handling of criminal suspects for more than four decades.”

“Former Bush lawyer to challenge health care law”: The Associated Press has this report.

And today’s edition of The Free Lance-Star of Fredericksburg, Virginia contains an article headlined “‘Liberty’ behind reform lawsuit; Attorney General Cuccinelli explains case against health care reform.”

“Justices Grapple With Issue of Right to Lawyers in Child Support Cases”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

“Gay marriage ban to continue during appeal of Proposition 8; Gay marriages will not resume while the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decides the constitutionality of Proposition 8’s ban on gay marriage; A U.S. District Court judge ruled last year that the California initiative is unconstitutional”: Carol J. Williams has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

And in today’s edition of The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Same-sex marriage stays on hold for Prop. 8 appeal.”

“Bitter analogy in war crime case: Indians, al Qaeda; Seminoles in 1818 similar to al Qaeda in 2001? Some Pentagon prosecutors appeared to make this analogy to support a Guantanamo war crimes conviction, then clarified in a war court filing.” Carol Rosenberg of The Miami Herald has this report.

“Panel on Anthrax Inquiry Finds Case Against Ivins Persuasive”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

And Greg Gordon of McClatchy Newspapers reports that “FBI’s anthrax suspect is likely killer, panel concludes.”

“Ex-friend: Bonds’ steroid use was ‘out of hand.'” Lance Williams has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

In today’s edition of The San Jose Mercury News, Howard Mintz reports that “Barry Bonds’ estranged friend testifies of home run king’s steroid use.”

Maura Dolan of The Los Angeles Times reports that “Former Barry Bonds aide testifies that he worried about the slugger’s alleged steroid use; Steve Hoskins says he secretly recorded Bonds’ trainer and doctor in hopes of obtaining evidence of steroid use; He also admits to making those recordings as his ties to Bonds were fraying.”

And The New York Times reports that “Bonds Trial Testimony Centers on Steroid Conversations.”

“Judge denies Komisarjevsky offer to plead guilty in exchange for no death penalty”: The New Haven Register contains this article today.

And today’s edition of The Hartford Courant contains an article headlined “Judge Won’t Allow Plea Deal for 2nd Cheshire Suspect; Case Has 3rd Juror.”

“New justices will campaign when facing retention vote”: This article appears today in The Des Moines Register.

“A Surprising Snapshot”: At the “Opinionator” blog of The New York Times, Linda Greenhouse has a post that begins, “Among common impressions of the current Supreme Court are that Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas are joined at the hip and that the majority tilts reflexively in favor of corporations and employers.”