“Clemens ready to fight as perjury trial opens Wed”: The Associated Press has this report.

And yesterday’s edition of The New York Daily News contained an article headlined “Rusty Hardin once put Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith on spot, now he tries to free Roger Clemens.”

“Probe urged of Kagan’s health care role”: Last Friday’s issue of The Washington Times contained this article.

“California ‘three-strike’ sentences used less often 15 years later”: This front page article appears today in The Sacramento Bee.

“Bill would require warrant to search cell phone”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

“Scalia and Thomas disagree about children and free speech”: Robert Barnes has this article today in The Washington Post.

“When Same-Sex Marriages End”: John Schwartz has this news analysis today in the Sunday Review section of The New York Times.

“Lawyer to Judge: I Swear My Browser Ate My Homework.” David Kravets had this post Friday at Wired.com’s “Threat Level” blog.

“Appointments, not elections, proposed for justices; Move comes on heels of altercation between 2 Supreme Court justices”: This article appears today in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Justices should explain: After an altercation between two state Supreme Court justices, the silence is deafening; The public has a right to an explanation.” And columnist Steven Walters has an op-ed entitled “A few ideas for the state’s justices.”

“Recent U.S. high court rulings favor businesses”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

“Under the U.S. Supreme Court: First Amendment, Kennedy triumph.” Michael Kirkland of UPI has this report.

“Patent case has high stakes for medical tests; The Supreme Court will hear Mayo Clinic’s argument that patents aren’t appropriate for certain tests”: The Minneapolis Star Tribune has an article that begins, “The anti-inflammatory drug azathioprine is tricky to dose. If doctors give too much, it is toxic and potentially deadly. Too little and it doesn’t work. Now a test that helps doctors find the right balance is the subject of a potentially groundbreaking case before the U.S. Supreme Court.”

“Operating Instructions: The Supreme Court shows corporate America how to screw over its customers and employees without breaking the law.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Clarence Thomas doesn’t mind being the odd man out; The conservative recently hit his 20-year anniversary as a Supreme Court nominee; His career on the bench has been marked by his willingness to stand alone in dissent”: David G. Savage will have this article Sunday in The Los Angeles Times.

“Judge Jeremy Fogel goes to Federal Judicial Center”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

In today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times, Carol J. Williams reports that “Judge who halted California executions gets post in Washington; U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel will head the Federal Judicial Center; It’s unclear whether he will retain the contentious case of death row inmate Michael A. Morales.”

Howard Mintz of The San Jose Mercury News reports that “San Jose federal judge to head nation’s judicial center.”

And Dan Levine of Reuters reports that “California judge to direct national judicial agency.”

My earlier coverage appears at this link.

“Justice Ginsburg not leaving court ‘anytime soon'”: Mark Sherman of The Associated Press has this report.

“Justices’ emails detail security, photo concerns after altercation”: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has this news update.

“Judge blocks new Kansas abortion licensing rules”: The Kansas City Star has this news update.

And The Associated Press reports that “Kan. licensing rules for abortion clinics blocked.”

“Michigan to appeal decision deeming affirmative action ban illegal”: The Detroit Free Press has this news update.

The Detroit News has an update headlined “State to fight ruling against ban on race in college admissions.”

Saturday’s edition of The New York Times will contain an article headlined “Court Overturns Michigan Affirmative-Action Ban.”

The Grand Rapids Press has a news update headlined “Minority advocates celebrate Proposal 2 ruling, Attorney General Bill Schuette vows appeal.”

The Cincinnati Enquirer has a news update headlined “Cincinnati court rules on affirmative action.”

AnnArbor.com reports that “University of Michigan has no plans to alter admissions process after federal court ruling.”

The State News, the student newspaper of Michigan State University, has an update headlined “Court rules Michigan’s affirmative action ban unconstitutional.”

Bloomberg News reports that “Michigan Anti-Affirmative-Action Law Overturned by Federal Appeals Court.”

And Reuters reports that “Court strikes Michigan affirmative action ban.”

My earlier coverage of today’s Sixth Circuit ruling appears at this link.

“Prison terms for crack cocaine offenses reduced; The U.S. Sentencing Commission brings such sentences in line with the shorter terms given to powder cocaine offenders”: This article appears today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Administration calls for halt to Texas execution”: Mark Sherman of The Associated Press has this report.

At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Tony Mauro has a post titled “Solicitor General Joins Plea to Stay Execution of Humberto Leal.”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “U.S. opposes Mexican’s execution.”

“Appeals court dismisses nuclear waste suit”: The Associated Press has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued today.

And at the “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Jenna Greene has a post titled “D.C. Circuit Declines to Wade Into Yucca Mountain Dispute.”

“Divided Appeals Court Rules Against IRS In Tax Refund Dispute”: At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Mike Scarcella has this post about an en banc ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued today.

“Supreme Court term was a winner for First Amendment”: Tony Mauro has this news analysis online at the First Amendment Center.

“Judge Jeremy Fogel Selected to Head Federal Judicial Center”: The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has issued this news release today.

Sixth Circuit declares unconstitutional Michigan’s Proposal 2, which prohibits public colleges and universities from granting “preferential treatment to any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin”: You can access today’s ruling of a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit at this link.

The majority opinion explains that “we find that Proposal 2 unconstitutionally alters
Michigan’s political structure by impermissibly burdening racial minorities.”

In her dissenting opinion, Circuit Judge Julia Smith Gibbons writes:

I disagree, however, with the majority’s conclusion that Proposal 2 is unconstitutional under a political restructuring theory of the Equal Protection Clause. In my view, Proposal 2 does not impermissibly restructure the political process in the state of Michigan to burden the ability of minorities to enact beneficial legislation. Moreover, Proposal 2 is not unconstitutional under traditional equal protection analysis

The case was argued before the Sixth Circuit in November 2009. My earlier coverage of the case appears at this link.

In early news coverage of today’s ruling, The Associated Press reports that “Mich. ban on race in college admissions illegal.”

“Intoxication conviction upheld; High court ruling involving woman who had a designated driver spurs call to modify law”: This article appears today in The Indianapolis Star.

You can access Tuesday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Indiana at this link.

“Why the Court Was Wrong in the Video Game Case”: Jeffrey H. Anderson has this post at the blog of The Weekly Standard.

“The Supreme Court’s continuing defense of the powerful”: Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne Jr. has this op-ed.

“Pulling plug on privacy: How technology helped make the 4th Amendment obsolete.” Ninth Circuit Chief Judge Alex Kozinski and Stephanie Grace have this essay online at The Daily (via Kashmir Hill).

“Walmart Case: Plaintiff Betty Dukes Tells Congress the Supreme Court Got It Wrong.” Ariane de Vogue of ABCNews.com has this report.

“Prosecutors to repay Conrad Black $5.5-million”: This article appears today in The Toronto Globe and Mail.

“Justices split by politics, personality”: Yesterday’s edition of The Wisconsin State Journal contained an article that begins, “A massive influx of money, politics and personality have helped turn the state Supreme Court — a body long respected for reasoned decisions — into an arm of government every bit as volatile as the Legislature, court observers say.”

“California given strict deadline to reduce prison population; There must be 37,000 fewer inmates by June 2013, starting with a reduction of 14,400 by the end of this year, three-judge panel says”: Carol J. Williams has this article today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Justice Ginsburg reflects on term, leadership role”: Joan Biskupic has this article today in USA Today.

“Ethics, Politics and the Law”: Today’s edition of The New York Times contains an editorial that begins, “The ethical judgments of the Supreme Court justices became an important issue in the just completed term.”