“White House names S.F., L.A. lawyers to powerful federal appeals court”: Howard Mintz of The San Jose Mercury News has an update that begins, “The White House on Thursday nominated two California lawyers to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, including a San Francisco law firm partner who has been involved in the legal challenges to the state’s now-defunct gay marriage ban.”

“Kan. Justice Moritz nominated to 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; Moran, in making announcement, says he will support confirmation”: The Topeka Capital-Journal has this news update.

You can access the official Kansas Supreme Court biography for Justice Nancy Moritz at this link.

“Swearing-in of Judge Correale Stevens to PA Supreme Court”: Pennsylvania Cable Network has posted online the video of Tuesday’s swearing-in at this link.

“Patricia Millett, DC Circuit Court Nominee, Clears Senate Judiciary Committee”: Jennifer Bendery of The Huffington Post has this report.

And at WSJ.com’s “Washington Wire” blog, Brent Kendall has a post titled “Senate Panel Splits on Judge Nominee.”

“Four Smart Moves Obama Has Made on Judicial Nominations”: Law professor David Fontana has this essay online today in The New Republic.

“Virginia Gay Couples Ask U.S.Court to End Marriage Ban”: Tom Schoenberg and Andrew Harris of Bloomberg News have this report.

“Cellphone privacy issue heats up”: Lyle Denniston has this post today at the “Constitution Daily” blog of the National Constitution Center.

In posts of interest from Todd Ruger at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.” He has posts titled “Patricia Millett D.C. Circuit Nomination Heads to Full Senate” and “Senate Confirms New Federal Circuit Judge.”