Access online today’s Order List and rulings in argued cases of the U.S. Supreme Court: You can access today’s Order List at this link. In big news, the Court has announced that Christine Luchok Fallon has been appointed Reporter of Decisions. The Court also granted review in one case.
The Court today issued three decisions in argued cases.
1. Justice Elena Kagan delivered the opinion of the Court in Milner v. Department of Navy, No. 09-1163. Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. issued a concurring opinion. And Justice Stephen G. Breyer issued a dissenting opinion. You can access the oral argument via this link.
2. Justice Alito delivered the opinion of the Court in Wall v. Kholi, No. 09-868. Justice Antonin Scalia issued a concurring opinion and did not join in footnote three of the opinion of the Court. You can access the oral argument via this link.
3. And Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivered the opinion of the Court in Skinner v. Switzer, No. 09-9000. Justice Clarence Thomas filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Anthony M. Kennedy and Alito joined. You can access the oral argument via this link.
In early news coverage, The Associated Press has reports headlined “Court rules for inmate who wants DNA testing“; “High court rules vs. gov’t in open records case“; “Court: Leniency request starts appeal clock“; “Court won’t hear challenge to ‘In God We Trust’“; and “Court won’t hear appeal on ‘Spygate’ lawsuit.”
“How the state Supreme Court building got its name”: Bob Egelko has this blog post online at The San Francisco Chronicle.
“The values of Professor Liu”: This editorial appears today in The Washington Post.
“Feds: Ex-judge should go to prison for drug crimes.” Greg Bluestein of The Associated Press has an article that begins, “Federal prosecutors say a former federal judge who pleaded guilty to two drug-related charges involving a stripper should serve at least 15 days in prison.”
And The Times-Herald of Newnan, Georgia reported yesterday that “Former judge has court date March 11.”
“Veteran federal judge visits drug gang’s NYC turf”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The scene in a gritty Brooklyn neighborhood had the feel of a political campaign stop, except the stately man trailed by aides, a bodyguard and two news photographers wasn’t making speeches or working a crowd.”
“‘Most important case’ for Georgia in decades”: In today’s edition of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bill Rankin has an article that begins, “As far as legal arguments go, the stakes don’t get much higher: water supply for more than 3 million people in metro Atlanta. On Wednesday, the state of Georgia will ask the federal appeals court in Atlanta to overturn a judge’s ruling that found it illegal for the Army Corps of Engineers to draw water from Lake Lanier to meet most of the metro area’s needs.”
“Don’t take Supreme Court ruling personally, AT&T”: Columnist Linda P. Campbell had this op-ed last Wednesday in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
And online at The Atlantic, Ben Zimmer has a blog post titled “The Corpus in the Court: ‘Like Lexis on Steroids,’” while law professor Garrett Epps has a blog post titled “Chief Justice John Roberts: Word Nerd.”
“Why Obamacare will survive in the Supreme Court”: Richard J. Bonnie and Andrew J. Peach have this op-ed today in The Richmond Times-Dispatch.
“Exhibit A, m’lud, a helmet for a stormtrooper; Man who created stormtrooper helmets is taken to Supreme Court by George Lucas”: Today’s edition of The Independent (UK) contains an article that begins, “The Stars Wars stormtrooper has terrified a generation of film-goers since the film director George Lucas launched them in a galaxy far, far away. Tomorrow the empire’s henchmen will be at the centre of a battle in the UK’s Supreme Court, when Lucas attempts to stop the British designer who made the first helmets from continuing to make and sell them.”
And The Daily Mail (UK) contains an article headlined “From a galaxy far far away to a battle in court: British designer in fight over Star Wars stormtrooper copyright.”
“Marijuana, guns and the law: State Supreme Court hears case of medical pot patient’s concealed weapons permit.” This article appeared Friday in The Mail Tribune of Medford, Oregon.
“Supreme Court takes up Sparks ethics case”: Martha Bellisle has this article today in The Reno Gazette-Journal.
“Justice Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court’s privacy cop”: Law professor Jeffrey Rosen has this op-ed today in The Washington Post.
In related coverage, The Boston Globe reports today that “Mass. to maintain curbs on protests; AG says US ruling doesn’t nullify law on funeral pickets.”
The York (Pa.) Sunday News reports that “In Snyder v. Phelps, high court avoided Internet speech issue; An attorney for Albert Snyder contends the Supreme Court should have considered an online ‘epic’ written about his son by Westboro Baptist Church; Some say the court will address the issue in the future.”
In The Detroit Free Press, columnist Mitch Albom has an op-ed entitled “Westboro case sounds right, but feels wrong.”
And in The Newark (N.J.) Star-Ledger, columnist John Farmer has an op-ed entitled “Supreme Court abandoned good judgment in Snyder family case.”
“Her baby wasn’t expected to live, but Nebraska law banned abortion”: This article appears today in The Des Moines Register.
“Under the U.S. Supreme Court: Justices get down, get funky with Tea Party.” Michael Kirkland of UPI has this report.
“Clarence Thomas’ dangerous conceit: The Supreme Court justice argues that criticism of him is an attack on the court itself; But a single justice doesn’t define the institution.” Law professor Jonathan Turley will have this op-ed Sunday in The Los Angeles Times.
“Pulling together in cancer fight; In new facility, MIT and philanthropist unite diverse specialists in common quest”: Yesterday’s edition of The Boston Globe contained an article that begins, “The magnificent mile of science in Kendall Square greets its newest tenant today: A $211 million, glass-enveloped cancer research hub built with a major gift from David H. Koch — the billionaire MIT alum, prostate cancer survivor, and noted backer of conservative causes.” The newspaper also contained a related article headlined “Center’s patron on hand for fete.”
And in today’s edition of The New York Times, Michael Cooper has an article headlined “Cancer Research Before Activism, Billionaire Conservative Donor Says.”
You can access the home page of the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT by clicking here.
“Appeals may delay retrial in Orie case”: This article appears today in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
And The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports today that “Orie sisters’ retrial scheduled for April 11.”
“Republicans plan legal defense of marriage law; House Speaker John A. Boehner announces a House panel to initiate steps on behalf of the Defense of Marriage Act”: Lisa Mascaro and David G. Savage have this article today in The Los Angeles Times.
The New York Times reports today that “House Republicans Move to Uphold Marriage Act.”
And The Washington Post reports that “Boehner launches effort to defend gay-marriage ban.”
“Feds’ new indictment charges Loughner with 49 counts”: This article appears today in The Arizona Republic. The newspaper has posted the indictment at this link.
The Los Angeles Times reports today that “Jared Loughner charged with murder in Arizona shootings; Jared Loughner is charged with killing Judge John Roll and an aide to Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, counts that could lead to the death penalty.”
The New York Times reports that “Loughner Faces 49 Counts in Tucson Shootings.”
The Washington Post reports that “Federal grand jury in Tucson shootings indicts Loughner on 46 new charges.”
The Wall Street Journal contains an article headlined “New Charges for Tucson Suspect.”
And The Associated Press reports that “Tucson suspect charged with murders of judge, aide.”
“Harvard welcomes ROTC back to campus”: The Boston Globe contains this article today.
The Boston Herald reports that “ROTC is back at Harvard.”
And The Harvard Crimson reports that “Harvard Signs Agreement to Officially Recognize Naval ROTC; Agreement ends decades long standoff with the armed forces and the University.”
“Armies of Expensive Lawyers, Replaced by Cheaper Software”: This article appears today in The New York Times.
“Appeals court rejects 2nd Amendment argument by convicted felon”: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has this news update reporting on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued today.
“Mistrial declared in Orie case; Judge finds defense submitted forged evidence”: This article appears today in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
And today’s edition of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review contains an article headlined “‘Despicable’ fraud leads to Orie mistrial.”
“Former Solicitors General and the Supreme Court bar”: Matt Sundquist has this post at “SCOTUSblog.” His recent law review article on the same subject can be accessed here.
“D.C. Circuit Terminates ABA Suit Challenging ‘Red Flags Rule'”: Mike Scarcella has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times” about a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued today.
“Judicial nominee logjam creates ‘crisis’ in some federal courts”: Bill Mears of CNN.com has this report.
“Impressions of the Bullcoming argument”: Law professor Richard D. Friedman has this post at “The Confrontation Blog.”
“SD governor says he’ll likely sign abortion bill”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “South Dakota’s governor said Thursday that he’ll likely sign off on new abortion guidelines that would be some of the strictest in the country, requiring women to wait 72 hours before they could go through with the procedure and to submit to counseling about why they shouldn’t.”
And The Argus Leader of Sioux Falls, South Dakota has a news update headlined “Gov. Daugaard on abortion bill: ‘I’m pro-life, inclined to sign it.’”
“Court hears challenge to Madoff loss calculations”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal appeals panel reviewing a compensation plan for former clients of disgraced financier Bernard Madoff cast doubt on claims by the embattled owners of the New York Mets and other investors that they have a right to keep millions of dollars of fictitious profits.”
“Judge in Mets kosher hot dog case recuses himself for fan cap”: Today’s edition of The New York Daily News contains an article that begins, “A federal judge overseeing a kosher food vendor’s lawsuit against the Mets recused himself from the case Tuesday apparently because the plaintiff’s lawyer spotted him wearing a Mets hat outside the courthouse.”
“Altered documents lead Orie judge to declare mistrial”: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a news update that begins, “An Allegheny County judge declared a mistrial in state Sen. Jane Orie’s corruption case after prosecutors accused the defense of submitting fraudulent documents during the trial.”
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has a news update headlined “Mistrial declared in Orie case.”
And The Associated Press reports that “Pa. judge declares mistrial over altered documents.”
“Ex-Texas cheerleader takes appeal to Supreme Court”: David L. Hudson Jr. has this essay online at the First Amendment Center.
“9th Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Holcomb Hall dies”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.
“Justices Rule for Protesters at Military Funerals”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times. The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Even Hurtful Speech.”
In today’s edition of The Washington Post, Robert Barnes reports that “Supreme Court rules First Amendment protects church’s right to picket funerals.” The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “The right to even ugly free speech.”
David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times reports that “Supreme Court sides with churchgoers who picketed military funeral; The justices say members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas have the right to carry anti-gay and other signs at U.S. troops’ funerals, however offensive their message may be considered.”
Joan Biskupic and Kevin Johnson of USA Today report that “Westboro free-speech ruling has its limits.”
The Washington Times reports that “Supreme Court upholds protests at military funerals as free speech.”
The York (Pa.) Daily Record contains articles headlined “Albert Snyder rips Supreme Court’s decision upholding Westboro funeral protest; The court, in an 8-1 ruling, said the First Amendment protected Westboro’s speech at Marine’s funeral; Snyder, the Marine’s father, said the justices lacked common sense“; “From some, a grudging acceptance of Supreme Court’s decision in Snyder v. Phelps; Rep. Todd Platts, however, criticized the court’s ruling that Westboro Baptist Church’s speech was protected by the First Amendment“; and “Alito says majority erred in Westboro church ruling; Justice holds allowing ‘the brutalization of innocent victims’ is not necessary to protect free speech.”
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that “Father of fallen Marine upset with court’s ruling; Others put 8-1 U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in perspective.”
The Wichita Eagle reports that “Ruling dismays vets’ supporters, Kan. lawmakers.”
The Kansas City Star reports that “Justices uphold Topeka church’s right to picket funerals.”
The Des Moines Register reports that “Supreme Court ruling won’t affect Iowa law on protests at military funerals.”
And The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that “Military funeral pickets cleared by Supreme Court.”
“Inmates’ rehab gains influence in Supreme Court decision favoring Iowan”: This article appears today in The Des Moines Register.
