“Kagan recounts how her hunting trips began”: The Associated Press has this report.

“We conclude that ‘issues’ and ‘arguments’ are distinct concepts: an issue can be broader in scope than an argument in that an issue may be addressed by multiple arguments, which are the most basic building blocks of legal reasoning.” Circuit Judge D. Brooks Smith wrote this opinion, which a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued today.

“Federal appeals court upholds conviction for Facebook threats; Anthony Elonis was sentenced to four years in prison for posts describing attacks on Dorney Park, kindergarten”: Peter Hall of The Morning Call of Allentown, Pennsylvania has this news update reporting on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued today.

“Ted Cruz in middle of GOP civil war”: Politico.com has this report.

“A Proposal to Cut Costs in CJA Appeals”: Steve Klepper has this post today at the “Maryland Appellate Blog.”

Comedian-judge gets last laugh: The Record of Hackensack, New Jersey has a news update headlined “South Hackensack judge resigns after court rules he can’t moonlight as a comic” that begins, “Vince A. Sicari resigned from his position as a municipal judge in South Hackensack on Thursday after the state Supreme Court ruled he could not continue in that position while moonlighting as a standup comic.”

My earlier coverage of today’s New Jersey Supreme Court ruling appears at this link.

“Justice Dept. watchdog never probed judges’ NSA concerns; In response to a FOIA request from USA TODAY, the Justice Department said its ethics office never looked into complaints from two federal judges that they had been misled about NSA surveillance”: Brad Heath of USA Today has this news update.

“Government to challenge Hobby Lobby’s reprieve from fines; Feds challenge injunction that has allowed Hobby Lobby to avoid fines for refusing to cover the cost of some contraceptives for its workers”: The Oklahoman has this report.

In posts of interest at “SCOTUSblog”: Lyle Denniston has a post titled “Birth-control mandate issue reaches Court.” You can access the petition for writ of certiorari at this link.

And Tom Goldstein has a post titled “The untold risks of the Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage decisions.”

“Why Was Tom DeLay’s Conviction Tossed? Corporate love set him free.” Law professor Richard L. Hasen — author of the “Election Law Blog” — has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“In 5-4 ruling, state Supreme Court upholds ‘medical necessity’ defense in Olympia pot-growing case”: The Olympian of Olympia, Washington has this news update.

And The Associated Press has a report headlined “Wash. court: Medical necessity OK reason for pot” that begins, “Washington’s Supreme Court says defendants busted for marijuana can argue they needed it for medical reasons, even if they failed to follow the requirements of the state’s medical marijuana law.”

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

“Gov. Rick Scott seeks Supreme Ct. review of worker drug test”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Gov. Rick Scott intends to take his fight for random drug tests of tens of thousands of state employees all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, a lawyer for the Republican governor told a federal judge Thursday.”

“Nina Pillard Nomination for D.C. Circuit Advances”: Todd Ruger has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Court reverses DeLay conviction”: The Austin American-Statesman has a news update that begins, “The Third Court of Appeals, on a 2-to-1 vote, has reversed the criminal conviction of former U.S. Majority Leader Tom DeLay, once the second most powerful Texas in Washington D.C. before the criminal case forced his retirement from politics.”

The Associated Press reports that “Conviction of ex-US House leader DeLay’s tossed.”

And Bloomberg News reports that “Ex-House Leader Tom DeLay Has Money Laundering Conviction Tossed.”

Today’s ruling of the Third Court of Appeals of Texas consists of a majority opinion and a dissenting opinion.

“In this appeal the Court considers whether a part-time municipal court judge may also pursue a parallel acting and comedy career.” So begins the syllabus of an opinion that the Supreme Court of New Jersey issued today.

In early news coverage, The Associated Press reports that “NJ’s high court rules against ‘joking judge.’”

And yesterday, Philly.com previewed today’s ruling in a report headlined “N.J. Supreme Court to decide if part-time judge, full-time comedian can keep both jobs.”

“Legal group says it will ask Supreme Court to take up contraception controversy”: The Washington Times has this blog post.

“Everyday heroes etched in Supreme Court history”: In today’s edition of USA Today, Richard Wolf has an article that begins, “Shaun McCutcheon is fast becoming a household name — at least in lofty legal and political circles.”

“Cellphone-Wiretap Ruling Is a Headache for Prosecutors; Opinion Says Authority to Listen In on Calls Doesn’t Cross Federal-Court-District Boundaries”: Joe Palazzolo has this article today in The Wall Street Journal. You can freely access the full text of the article via Google News.

“Opponent of Colorado’s Amazon tax law seeks review of appellate ruling”: This article appears today in The Denver Post.

“Tase Thy Neighbor? Will a single dissenting opinion end Judge Jacqueline Nguyen’s Supreme Court aspirations?” Scott Michelman has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Court likely to oppose blocking gay jurors”: Bob Egelko of The San Francisco Chronicle has this news update.

And in Thursday’s edition of The Los Angeles Times, Maura Dolan will have an article headlined “Court wrestles with protecting gays from jury exclusion; Appellate judges question lawyers about the removal of a gay man during jury selection for an antitrust trial two years ago.”

You can access at this link the audio of today’s Ninth Circuit oral argument. Earlier today, I collected additional coverage of the oral argument in a post you can access here.

“Justice Ginsburg Speaks: Women and the Law; Syria, Congress and the President and More.” This audio segment appeared on yesterday’s broadcast of WNYC Radio’s “The Takeaway with John Hockenberry.”

And today’s broadcast contained an audio segment titled “Justice Ginsburg Part II: Gender, the Second Amendment, Immigration & More.”

A transcript of the interview can be accessed here.

“Winds of Change”: Linda Greenhouse has this post at the “Opinionator” blog of The New York Times.

“New Film Dramatizes the Severe Threat to Late-Term Abortion Doctors”: Nora Caplan-Bricker has this essay online at The New Republic. The film’s web site can be accessed here.

“University of Portland student gets help, inspiration from controversial Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas”: The Oregonian has this report.

“At Stanford, Justice Ginsburg says collegiality is not swayed by bitter battles; Ruth Bader Ginsburg met with students and spoke with the university community about the most recent term of the Supreme Court during a visit to Stanford on Constitution Day”: Stanford University has issued this news release.

“Gay bias in jury selection: Federal appeals court struggles with another gay rights issue.” Howard Mintz of The San Jose Mercury News has this update.

Maura Dolan of The Los Angeles Times has a news update headlined “Court appears wary of removing jurors over sexual orientation.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Court deciding if gay juror can be taken off case.”

“California Fuel Standard Doesn’t Discriminate, Court Says”: Bloomberg News has this report.

Reuters reports that “U.S. appeals court rejects California fuel rule challenge.”

The Associated Press reports that “Court upholds Calif.’s low carbon fuel standard.”

And at her “Trial Insider” blog, Pamela A. MacLean has a post titled “California Low Emission Ethanol Standards Upheld.”

You can access today’s ruling of a partially divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at this link.

“Court: Clicking ‘Like’ on Facebook is free speech.” The Associated Press has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued today.

In other coverage, Bloomberg News reports that “Facebook ‘Like’ Is Protected Speech, Appeals Court Says.”

“Pillard well-qualified for seat on Appeals Court”: Josiah Bunting III has this essay online at Politico.com.

“Legendary whistle-blower girds for another round in marathon legal fight”: Jeremy P. Jacobs of Greenwire has this report.

“Vivid Appeals Denial of TRO With 9th Circuit”: XBIZ Newswire has a report that begins, “Vivid Entertainment yesterday filed an appeal over U.S. District Judge Dean Pregerson’s denial of a temporary restraining order in the studio’s suit against enforcement of Measure B, which requires the use of condoms in the production of adult movies in Los Angeles County.”

And Mark Kernes of AVN News reports that “Measure B Plaintiffs Ask Ninth Circuit to Remove AHF From Case; They also argue that Measure B is both ineffective and unconstitutional.”

You can access at this link (4.7 MB PDF file) the opening Brief for Appellants that Vivid Entertainment filed Monday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

“Sandra Day O’Connor to law students: ‘Learn everything you can’; O’Connor speaks at CU-Boulder for Constitution Day.” The Daily Camera of Boulder, Colorado has this report.

“Court decides if gay juror can be taken off case”: The Associated Press has this report on an appeal to be argued today before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

“Jerry Sandusky’s lawyer makes case for new trial at appeal hearing”: This article appears today in The Centre Daily Times of State College, Pennsylvania.

The Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania reports today that “Judges to decide Sandusky’s appeal for new trial; Ex-PSU assistant coach’s petition gets hearing in state court session at county courthouse.”

The Citizens’ Voice of Wilkes-Barre reports today that “Sandusky attorney admits ‘errors’ didn’t alter verdict.” And a related article is headlined “The Scene: Satellite trucks, interest follow Sandusky case to Luzerne Co.”

Peter Hall of The Morning Call of Allentown, Pennsylvania reports today that “Sandusky lawyer cites delay in victims reporting abuse in reasoning for new trial.”

The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania reports that “Sandusky attorney argues for new trial during appeal hearing.”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that “In Sandusky appeal, lawyers argue trial errors.”

Today’s edition of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review contains an article headlined “Lawyers: In rushed trial, judge violated Sandusky’s rights.”

Bloomberg News reports that “Ex-Coach Sandusky Should Get New Trial, Lawyer Argues.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Sandusky’s bid for new trial in Pa. judges’ hands.”

You can access the appellate court filings in the case via this link.