“US Supreme Court takes up Texas redistricting case; The case involves four new congressional seats and the rising political clout of Latinos in Texas, a state with a history of racial discrimination; Republicans say a map redrawn by a panel of federal judges usurps the role of elected officials”: Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor has this report.

“Judge sides with Citizens’ Voice in decade-long defamation battle”: Yesterday’s edition of The Citizens’ Voice of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania contained this article.

And yesterday’s edition of The Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre reported that “Judge’s ruling reverses $3.5 million verdict against CV.”

“Failure to name judge threatens to hamper court; In spite of being given two names, President Obama has yet to nominate a replacement for Judge Kermit Lipez on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals”: This article appears today in The Portland (Me.) Press Herald.

“When Computer Misuse Becomes a Crime”: Ginny LaRoe of The Recorder has this report.

“Joshua Komisarjevsky Gets Death; Jury Deliberates Nearly 20 Hours Over Five Days On Sentence For Cheshire Killer”: This article appears today in The Hartford Courant, along with an article headlined “Both Sides In Death-Penalty Debate Vow To Fight On; Legislative Bid For Repeal Would Face Tough Challenge In 2012.”

Today’s edition of The New Haven Register contains articles headlined “Jury gives Komisarjevsky death penalty; Petit: ‘We believe justice has been done’” and “Residents in Cheshire agree with Komisarjevsky verdict.”

And The New York Times contains an article headlined “Death Penalty for 2nd Man in Connecticut Triple-Murder Case.”

“Supreme Court blocks redistricting plan for Texas”: Robert Barnes has this article today in The Washington Post.

In today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times, David G. Savage reports that “Supreme Court intervenes in Texas redistricting case; Justices grant an emergency appeal from Texas Republicans, putting on hold a map that would give Democrats a good shot at picking up at least three congressional seats in 2012.”

And The Austin American-Statesman reports that “U.S. Supreme Court blocks Texas redistricting maps.”

An obituary for “Julia Howard Bashman” appeared yesterday in The Daily Independent of Ashland, Kentucky: You can views the obituary at this link. Additional research, however, has revealed that the deceased’s actual name is Julia A. Howard Basham.

“Yale, Harvard, Stanford . . . UC Irvine?” Reuters has a report that begins, “Every year, thousands of third-year law students across the country apply for coveted federal judicial clerkships, and every year, the same law schools — Yale, Stanford, and Harvard — top the list of those whose graduates populate federal judges’ chambers.”

“Court to Hear Texas Dispute on Drawing New Districts”: Adam Liptak will have this article Saturday in The New York Times.

Joan Biskupic of USA Today has a news update headlined “Supreme Court to hear Texas redistricting dispute.”

The San Antonio Express-News has an update headlined “Supreme Court stays interim-redistricting map.”

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has a news update headlined “Supreme Court blocks use of court-drawn redistricting maps.”

Mark Sherman of The Associated Press reports that “High court halts new Texas electoral maps.”

Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News reports that “Texas Republicans Get Emergency Supreme Court Hearing on Election Maps.”

James Vicini of Reuters reports that “High court to decide Texas election maps.”

Politico.com reports that “SCOTUS blocks Texas remap.”

Mike Sacks of The Huffington Post reports that “Supreme Court Steps Into Texas Redistricting Fight.”

And at “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Texas election maps blocked, for now.”

You can access this evening’s order of the Supreme Court of the United States at this link.

“Perry flubs name, number of Supreme Court justices”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Joshua Komisarjevsky Gets Death; Jury Deliberates Nearly 20 Hours Over Five Days On Sentence For Cheshire Killer”: The Hartford Courant has this news update.

The New Haven Register has a news update headlined “Jury gives Komisarjevsky death penalty on all 6 capital counts.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Man condemned to death in Conn. home invasion.”

“First Amendment Center celebrates 20 years”: Brian J. Buchanan of the First Amendment Center has this report.

“Stepfather/Stepdaughter ‘Incest’ Is Still a Crime in Ohio; Ohio still leads other states for being most deeply in the Sexual Dark Ages”: Mark Kernes has this news analysis online at AVN News.

Federal prosecutors held in contempt in connection with the Ted Stevens public corruption case lose their D.C. Circuit appeal: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit at this link.

Update: At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” Mike Scarcella has a post titled “Appeals Court Backs Civil Contempt Ruling In Ted Stevens Case.”

The Associated Press reports that “Contempt against Stevens’ prosecutors upheld.”

And James Vicini of Reuters reports that “Court rules against prosecutors in US Sen. Stevens case.”

“New York City Landlord Takes Rent Regulation Fight To Supreme Court”: Mike Sacks of The Huffington Post has this report.

“Samsung slays Apple in tablet war”: The Sydney Morning Herald has this news update.

The Associated Press reports that “Australian court rules Samsung can sell Galaxy.”

Reuters reports that “Samsung wins round in long legal fight with Apple.”

And Bloomberg News reports that “Samsung Wins Approval for Galaxy Tablet Sales in Australia as Apple Loses.”

“Apple to Appeal Lost U.S. Court Bid to Block Samsung Sales”: Bloomberg News has this report.

And Dan Levine of Reuters reports that “Apple appeals Samsung ruling in U.S.”

“Supreme Court to Take a Look at Arizona’s Immigration Law Friday”: Ariane de Vogue of ABC News has this blog post.

“Appeals court hears challenges in Prop. 8 case”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

In today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times, Maura Dolan reports that “U.S. appeals court seems unlikely to dismiss ruling against Prop. 8; A three-judge panel appears unswayed by Prop. 8 backers’ argument that the judge who issued the original ruling was in an undisclosed same-sex relationship; The panel also appears reluctant to make videos of the trial public.” And Carol J. Williams reports that “Gay marriage proponent who urged halt to Prop. 8 enforcement dies; With his partner, Ed Watson had sought the ability to marry before advancing illness claimed his life; His death came on the eve of a court hearing on the same-sex marriage ban.”

Howard Mintz of The San Jose Mercury News reports that “Appeals court appears reluctant to find Proposition 8 judge biased.”

The New York Times reports that “Proposition 8 Appeals Case Winds Down.”

Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor has an article headlined “Gay marriage: Court weighs validity of Prop. 8 ruling by gay judge; Proponents of California’s Prop. 8 gay marriage ban say the 2010 ruling against it should be vacated because the judge failed to disclose that he was in a long-term gay relationship.”

The Associated Press reports that “CA same-sex marriage ban gets another day in court.”

Dan Levine of Reuters reports that “Appeals court skeptical of California gay marriage appeal.”

Bloomberg News reports that “Same-Sex Marriage Foes Seek Reversal of Ruling by Gay Judge.”

And Ginny LaRoe of The Recorder reports that “Circuit Weighs Walker’s Handling of Prop 8 Case.”

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has posted online the audio of yesterday’s oral arguments here and here.

“A Liberal’s Lament on Kagan and Health Care: Should Elena Kagan recuse herself in the ACA case?” Law professor Eric Segall has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Judges, lawyers clash over right to testify with face covered”: In Friday’s edition of The Toronto Globe and Mail, Kirk Makin will have an article that begins, “There was no mistaking the impatience in Supreme Court of Canada Justice Morris Fish’s voice when he demanded the name of a single lawyer who would willingly cross-examine a witness whose face was concealed by a veil.”

The Toronto Star has a news update headlined “Women have right to wear niqab during trials, court told.”

And Postmedia News reports that “Supreme Court hears arguments in niqab case.”

Bloomberg News is reporting: In today’s hormone replacement therapy breast cancer news from Philadelphia, “Pfizer Wins Review of Punitive-Damages Award in Prempro Case” and “Pfizer Settles Prempro Case That Led to $72.6 Million Award.”

“Indiana’s top judge says he’ll retire in March; As nation’s longest-serving chief justice, Randall Shepard has gained recognition for his opinions on state’s high court”: This article appears today in The Indianapolis Star.

As you might expect, extensive additional coverage is available from “The Indiana Law Blog.”

“Supreme Court Hears Case on Patents for Individualized Medicine”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times.

In today’s edition of The Washington Post, Robert Barnes reports that “Supreme Court has hard time finding an easy test for patents on medical processes.”

Jesse J. Holland of The Associated Press reports that “Justices consider ‘personal medicine’ patent issue.”

Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News reports that “Blood-Test Patents Debated at U.S. Supreme Court as Einstein Invoked.”

Reuters reports that “Supreme Court hears arguments on personal medicine.”

At “SCOTUSblog,” Lyle Denniston has a post titled “For want of a good hypothetical.”

At the “Patently-O” blog, law professor Jonas Anderson has a post titled “Summary of Mayo v. Prometheus Oral Argument.”

And at his “Washington Briefs” blog, Lawrence Hurley of Greenwire has a post titled “Chief Justice plays with fire.”

You can access at this link the transcript of yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court oral argument in Mayo Collaborative Services v. Prometheus Laboratories, Inc., No. 10-1150.

“Murder conviction overturned because of tweeting, sleeping jurors”: Arkansas News Bureau has a report that begins, “The state Supreme Court overturned a death-row inmate’s murder conviction today because of jurors who tweeted and slept during his trial.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Death row inmate gets new trial because of tweet.”

You can access today’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Arkansas at this link.

Update: In other coverage, Reuters reports that “Arkansas death row inmate gets new trial because of tweets.”

“Andrew Cohen, Award-Winning Legal Commentator, To Add New Role As Legal Analyst For ’60 Minutes'”: Congratulations to “How Appealing” reader Andrew Cohen, who is the subject of this press release that CBS News issued today.

“Supreme Court Hears Dispute Over Ownership of Montana’s Rivers”: This segment (transcript with link to video) featuring Marcia Coyle appeared on yesterday evening’s broadcast of The PBS NewsHour.

Lawrence Hurley of Greenwire reports that “Justices weigh ownership of Mont. riverbeds.”

And The Associated Press reports that “High court hears Montana dam dispute.”

You can access at this link the transcript of yesterday’s U.S. Supreme Court oral argument in PPL Montana, LLC v. Montana, No. 10-218.

“Federal appeals court to revisit funeral protests”: This article appears today in The Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star.

On federal habeas review of an Ohio state court conviction, the Sixth Circuit rejects argument that Lawrence v. Texas should preclude man’s conviction for engaging in consensual sexual intercourse with his 22-year-old stepdaughter: You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit at this link.

“D.A. will not seek death penalty against Abu-Jamal”: Joseph A. Slobodzian has this article today in The Philadelphia Inquirer. According to the article, “Faulkner [the widow of the slain Philadelphia police officer] spoke for about five minutes in an angry, at-times emotional tirade against the federal appeals courts and judges who heard Abu-Jamal’s multiple appeals. Faulkner called the judges of the U.S. District Court in Philadelphia and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ‘dishonest cowards’ who imposed their personal opposition to capital punishment on the public.”

And today’s edition of The Philadelphia Daily News contains an article headlined “D.A.: Abu-Jamal can go rot in cell.”

“Analysis: If the health insurance mandate falls…” Lyle Denniston has this post today at “SCOTUSblog.”

Pa. Supreme Court grants review of award of punitive damages in a hormone replacement therapy breast cancer case: You can access Monday’s order of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, which the court posted online Tuesday, at this link.

In this post from June 2, 2011, I linked to Wyeth’s petition for allowance of appeal, plaintiffs’ answer in opposition (on which I worked), and the Pa. Superior Court’s ruling in the case.

“Court to review decision in funeral protest ban”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “A federal appeals court agreed Wednesday to take another look at whether a St. Louis suburb can enforce a funeral protest ordinance drafted in response to the picketing of an anti-gay Kansas church — a move that could push the issue closer to the U.S. Supreme Court. The full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis will meet Jan. 9 to reconsider a three-judge panel’s October ruling in favor of members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan.”

My earlier coverage of the original three-judge panel’s ruling appears at this link.

“Texas redistricting show judicial activism is in the eye of the beholder”: In Thursday’s edition of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, columnist Linda P. Campbell will have this op-ed in which both I and this blog are mentioned.

“Muslim charity leaders lose appeal in Hamas case”: Reuters has this report.

And The Associated Press reports that “Appeals court affirms convictions of 5 from Muslim charity tied to funding terrorist group.”

You can access today’s 170-page ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit at this link.