“Filling the federal bench: Obama needs to fight harder, and the Senate needs to give his nominees up-or-down votes.” Robert C. Post and Daniel Schuker will have this op-ed Friday in The Los Angeles Times.

“The Arguments for Gay Marriage Undermine Affirmative Action: Here’s how Justice Kennedy could vote to recognize same-sex unions and scrap racial preferences.” Richard D. Kahlenberg has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Federal courts facing fiscal cliff braced for layoffs”: Reuters has this report.

“It’s OK to crank up the music, Florida Supreme Court rules”: Reuters has this report on a ruling that the Supreme Court of Florida issued today.

“House GOP Boosts Funds for DOMA Legal Defense”: Roll Call has this report.

“New crosses in place near Lindon for fallen UHP troopers”: Today’s edition of The Deseret News contains an article that begins, “New crosses honoring 15 fallen Utah Highway Patrol troopers now overlook I-15 just north of exit 273, taking the place of memorials that were removed from public land following a U.S. Supreme Court decision last year.”

“Judicial Nominations and Confirmations in Obama’s First Term”: Russell Wheeler of The Brookings Institution has posted online this paper. You can access a summary by clicking here.

“Man who killed himself at Birmingham Hugo L. Black courthouse identified as director of building services”: The Birmingham News has this update.

And Kyle Whitmire of The Birmingham News has an essay entitled “Inside Hugo Black Federal Courthouse, justice rolls on.”

“Eighth Circuit Creates Intra-Circuit Conflict-In One Day”: Ryan Koopmans has this post today at “On Brief: Iowa’s Appellate Blog.”

“Gays May Diverge From Blacks as Top Court Reshapes Rights”: Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News has this report.

“New Senator says ‘Aloha’ to Senate Judiciary Committee”: Todd Ruger has this post today at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Supreme Court Unanimously Upholds Concealed Gavel Law”: The Onion has this report.

“Will Churches Be Forced To Conduct Gay Weddings? Not a chance; That’s just the scare tactic conservative groups use to frighten voters.” Emily Bazelon has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Constitution Check: Should gay Americans be afraid of the Supreme Court?” Lyle Denniston has this post today at the “Constitution Daily” blog of the National Constitution Center.