“Tobacco: Court upholds big award in smoker’s case.” Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle reporting on a ruling that California’s Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District, Division Three, issued yesterday.

By a vote of 2-to-1, the appellate court upheld an award of $13.8 million in punitive damages on an award of $850,000 in compensatory damages.

Law professor who teaches contract law wins reinstatement of his own breach of contract lawsuit against book publisher: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued this ruling today, a victory for law professor Scott D. Gerber.

“Court: Farm workers entitled to nearly $2 million.” The Associated Press has this report on a non-precedential ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued today.

“Music Group Ends YouTube Lawsuit Appeal”: Bloomberg News has this report.

“Freelance Writers, Publisher Settlement Rejected by Federal Appeals Court”: Bloomberg News has this report.

Reuters reports that “Writers’ US settlement with publishers thrown out.”

And The Associated Press reports that “NY court rejects $18M class action writers deal.”

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

“Spin Master Recalls Aqua Dots — Children Became Unconscious After Swallowing Beads”: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued this news release in November 2007.

Today, in an opinion written by Chief Judge Frank H. Easterbrook, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued its ruling on the issue of class certification in a case captioned In re: Aqua Dots Products Liability Litigation.

“Judge Shields 3rd Circuit Mediator From Subpoena in Legal Mal Suit”: Shannon P. Duffy had this article (registration required) in yesterday’s edition of The Legal Intelligencer, Philadelphia’s daily newspaper for lawyers.

The ruling that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania issued earlier this month, which the article reports on, can be accessed here.

Second Circuit issues ruling in case captioned In re Literary Works in Elect. Databases Copyright Litig., on remand from the U.S. Supreme Court‘s ruling in Reed Elsevier, Inc. v. Muchnick: Today’s majority opinion of a three-judge Second Circuit panel summarizes the court’s holding as follows: “Although we reject objectors’ arguments regarding the release, we conclude that the district court abused its discretion in certifying the class and approving the Settlement, because the named plaintiffs failed to adequately represent the interests of all class members.”

As a result, the Second Circuit has vacated the district court’s order certifying the class and approving the settlement and has remanded the case for further proceedings.

Majority on divided three-judge Sixth Circuit panel affirms the rejection of Tennessee death row inmate Abu-Ali Abdur’Rahman’s Brady claims: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit at this link.

“Madoff Trustee Wins Ruling on ‘Net Winners’; Appeals Court Finds Trustee Is Right to Pay Only ‘Net Losers’; ‘the Final Word on This Issue’?” The Wall Street Journal contains this article today.

The New York Times reports today that “Madoff Decision Is Significant Setback for Owners of Mets.”

USA Today reports that “Court ruling angers some Madoff investors.”

And New York Law Journal reports that “Circuit Sides With Madoff Trustee Over ‘Net Winners’ in Ponzi Scam.”

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

“Lawyers for Defendant in Giffords Shooting Seem to Be Searching for Illness”: This article appears today in The New York Times.

“ACLU sues state of Kansas over limits on abortion insurance”: Today’s edition of The Kansas City Star contains an article that begins, “A new Kansas law that bans insurers from providing elective abortion coverage is the state’s third abortion-related measure to draw a legal challenge this summer.”

“Lawmakers’ destructive gamesmanship with judicial nominees”: This editorial appears today in The Washington Post.

“Newest justice is second woman to serve on state’s high court”: The Argus Leader of Sioux Falls, South Dakota contains this article today.

“City to pay $30 million, hire 111 black firefighters”: This article appears today in The Chicago Sun-Times.

“Election Looms in Health-Law Review”: Jess Bravin has this article today in The Wall Street Journal. Free access to the full text of the article is available via Google News.

“St. Joseph Abbey’s lawyers not worried by challenge to victory in casket lawsuit”: This article appears today in The Times-Picayune of New Orleans.

And The Associated Press reports that “La. casket dispute headed to federal appeals court.”

“New Blood at Federal Circuit; Recent appointees bring fresh viewpoints, which could alter fate of patent cases”: law.com has this report.

“US court rejects appeal in Iraq rape, slaying”: The Associated Press has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued today.

“Court security guards investigated for accepting baseballs autographed by Roger Clemens”: Del Quentin Wilber of The Washington Post has this news update.

And The Associated Press reports that “Guards under investigation for accepting baseballs.”

“Madoff Trustee Wins Appeals Court Ruling on Calculating Investors’ Losses”: Bloomberg News has this report.

And The Associated Press reports that “NYC court upholds trustee’s calculation of losses.”

You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit at this link.

“Loughner’s attorneys ask court to halt medication”: The Associated Press has this report.

Once the Ninth Circuit posts it online, appellant’s reply brief should be available via this link.

“PCN allowed to tape Pennsylvania Supreme Court proceedings”: This article appears today in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

My earlier coverage appears here and here.

“Bill Puts Ethics Spotlight On Supreme Court Justices”: Nina Totenberg of NPR has this report.

“Human rights group questions court ruling; Pueblo native says Castle Rock police failed to protect her three children”: Today’s edition of The Pueblo Chieftain contains an article that begins, “An international human rights organization contradicted the U.S. Supreme Court recently when it issued a ruling that the United States violated a Pueblo native’s rights by failing to enforce a protection order against her estranged husband, who later killed their three daughters before police shot and killed him.”

“ACLU agrees to wait on judge’s ruling for a stay”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The attorney for Dixie County says officials are waiting on a federal judge to rule on their request for a stay before removing a six-ton monument of the Ten Commandments from the front steps of the courthouse in north Florida.”

“Execution set for killer again, despite appeal; Dispute over DNA tests has so far spared Skinner, convicted in 1993”: Today’s edition of The Houston Chronicle contains an article that begins, “Convicted triple killer Henry Skinner, spared from execution by a last-minute U.S. Supreme Court stay in 2010, again has been assigned a death date, even as an Amarillo federal court considers his fate.”

“New Haven firefighter’s lawsuit revived by appeals court”: The New Haven Register contains this article today.

And Reuters reports that “Appeals court reinstates African-American firefighter suit.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Second Circuit ruling appears here and here.

“Pa. Supreme Court to allow cable TV cameras”: The Philadelphia Inquirer has this news update.

The Morning Call of Allentown, Pennsylvania has a news update headlined “State high court allows cameras.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Pa. high court allows TV cameras to tape arguments.”

My earlier coverage appears at this link.

“Obama healthcare law: two justices may decide fate.” James Vicini of Reuters has this report.

And Politico.com reports that “Lawsuits hit faster track to Supreme Court.”

“Sauk County DA named special prosecutor in alleged state Supreme Court fracas”: The Wisconsin State Journal has this news update.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a news update headlined “Special prosecutor named in Prosser/Bradley altercation.”

And Bloomberg News reports that “Wisconsin Prosecutor to Probe Pre-Labor Law Ruling Fight Between Justices.”

“State Supreme Court Partners with PCN on First-Ever Television Coverage of High Court Proceedings”: The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts issued this news release today.

As coincidence would have it, I am scheduled to argue two separate cases to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania on the first day of televised oral arguments in that court. Details on those two cases can be accessed via this post.

The Pa. Supreme Court’s order issued today can be accessed here. That court’s newly adopted Internal Operating Procedure, which contains some interesting requirements, can be viewed by clicking here.

“NY court reinstates lawsuit by New Haven fireman”: The Associated Press has this report.

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

“Obama: Supreme Court will uphold health care law.” The Associated Press has this report.

Ninth Circuit upholds Nevada Department of Corrections’ policy prohibiting inmates’ personal possession of typewriters: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at this link.