“White House Tries to Prevent Judge From Ruling on Surveillance Efforts”: Charlie Savage and David E. Sanger have this article in today’s edition of The New York Times.

“In Striking Down Utah’s Gay Marriage Ban, Judge Gives Scalia Big Bear Hug”: Dylan Scott of TPM DC has this report.

Today’s edition of The New York Times contains an article headlined “Gay Couples in Utah, Surprised but Glad, Rush to Marry After Ruling Permits It.”

Brooke Adams of The Salt Lake Tribune has an article headlined “After same-sex marriage ruling, Utah seeks to keep status quo; Decision’s legal reason has implications for 28 other states as Utah officials seek to stay U.S. judge’s motion.”

And The Deseret News has an article headlined “Court ruling has created ‘chaotic situation,’ Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says.”

“Under the U.S. Supreme Court: At year’s end: Fasten your Supreme Court seat belt, bumpy ride ahead.” Michael Kirkland of UPI has this report.

“Another GSK Venue Question Sent to Third Circuit”: In Monday’s edition of The Legal Intelligencer, Philadelphia’s daily newspaper for lawyers, Saranac Hale Spencer will have this article, in which I am quoted, about an appellate matter on which I am currently working.

In Bashman news from Australia: With apologies for the recent lull in such coverage, the Australian Associated Press reports today that “Vic teenagers bash man, steal car: police.”

“Retired Judge Donald Ross of Omaha lived by a simple rule: Do what’s right.” This obituary appears today in The Omaha World-Herald.

The contents of the December 2013 issue of the Harvard Law Review can now be accessed online: Via this link.

The issue includes various essays under the heading “In Memoriam: Ronald Dworkin” and recent cases essays about United States v. Caronia and United States v. Wurie.

“State Bar’s race records ruled public documents”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle.

Today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times contains an article headlined “California high court says state bar should release exam scores; California Supreme Court rules for affirmative-action researcher, saying public has ‘legitimate interest’ in admissions process; But it also calls for privacy protections.”

And at her “Trial Insider” blog, Pamela A. MacLean has a post titled “California Bar Must Share Race Data.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s unanimous California Supreme Court ruling can be accessed here.

“Five Names, Including Neal Katyal, Reportedly to Be Forwarded for Judge Davis’ Seat on 4th Circuit”: Michael Wein has this post today at the “Maryland Appellate Blog.”

“Federal appeals court upholds temporary block on state abortion law”: Jason Stein and Patrick Marley of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel have this news update.

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

“Federal judge strikes down Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage”: Brooke Adams of The Salt Lake Tribune has this news update.

The Deseret News has an update headlined “Federal judge rules Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Judge strikes down Utah’s same-sex marriage ban.”

You can access today’s ruling of the U.S. District Court for the District of Utah at this link.

“President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the United States Courts of Appeals”: The White House issued this news release yesterday.

My earlier coverage appears at this link.

“Lights, camera, Supreme Court: It’s about time; Television broadcasts from the chambers would be good for democracy and good for the institution.” Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor of the Supreme Court of Ohio has this op-ed today in The Los Angeles Times.

“Supreme Court’s Big Year Ends With Big Love”: Law professor Noah Feldman has this essay online at Bloomberg View.

“Supreme Court strikes down Canada’s prostitution laws”: Sean Fine of The Toronto Globe and Mail has a news update that begins, “The Supreme Court of Canada has struck down the country’s major prostitution laws, saying that bans on street soliciting, brothels and people living off the avails of prostitution create severe dangers for vulnerable women and therefore violate Canadians’ basic values.”

The Toronto Star has a news update headlined “Supreme Court of Canada strikes down federal criminal prostitution laws; Ottawa given one-year grace period to redraft scheme.”

The Associated Press reports that “Canadian court strikes down anti-prostitution laws.”

Reuters reports that “Top Canada court strikes down prostitution restrictions.”

And Bloomberg News reports that “Canada Top Court Invalidates Prostitution Laws on Safety.”

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

“The Legality of the National Security Agency’s Bulk Data Surveillance Programs”: Law professor John Yoo has posted this paper online at SSRN (via “Legal Theory Blog“).

“Think gay marriage is a product of activist judges? Think again.” Karin Klein has this essay online at The Los Angeles Times.

Editorials appearing in today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times: The newspaper contains editorials titled “Mt. Soledad cross: Take it down; It is a clearly Christian symbol on government-owned land, and and the Supreme Court should order its removal” and “Utah’s anti-polygamy law: When a man loves 4 women; District Judge Clark Waddoups rejected the part of the law that prohibited cohabitation by unmarried people with multiple sexual partners; And that’s fine.”

“Judge rules heat levels on Angola death row subject inmates to ‘cruel and unusual punishment'”: The Times-Picayune of New Orleans has this report on a ruling that the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana issued today.

“Obama picks Judge Gregg Costa for 5th Circuit appeals court”: Todd J. Gillman of The Dallas Morning News has this blog post.

And The Associated Press reports that “US District Court Judge Julie E. Carnes tapped to serve in 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.”

“U.S. court revives 9/11 victims’ case against Saudi Arabia”: Jonathan Stempel of Reuters has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued today.

“Supreme Court OKs new lethal injection procedure”: The Associated Press has this report on a ruling that the Supreme Court of Florida issued today.

“New Mexico AG filing suit to stop horse slaughter”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Third Circuit Accepts One Brief, Rejects the Second”: At “The Volokh Conspiracy,” Orin Kerr has this post about an order that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued today in United States v. Auernheimer.

“State Supreme Court rules municipalities can limit what gas drillers can do”: The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a news update that begins, “The Pennsylvania Supreme Court tossed out controversial portions of the state’s oil and gas law reforms, letting municipalities retain control over where and when to allow drilling in their jurisdictions.”

Today’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania consists of an opinion announcing the judgment of the court, a concurring opinion, and two dissenting opinions (here and here).

“Jerry Sandusky lawyer’s appeal of media leak order rejected by Pa. Supreme Court”: The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has this report.

You can access yesterday’s order of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania at this link.

“Court rules that law test data can be released”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The California Supreme Court has ruled that ethnic and other data submitted by applicants to administrators of bar exam can be released to the public. The court ruled unanimously Thursday in a legal scholar’s years-long fight to obtain the data to aid in his research of racial disparities in law school performance.”

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

“Same-sex marriage ruled legal by NM’s high court”: The Associated Press has this report.

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

Update: In other coverage, The Santa Fe New Mexican has a news update headlined “New Mexico Supreme Court rules same-sex marriage legal.”

Bloomberg News reports that “New Mexico Supreme Court Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage.”

And Reuters reports that “New Mexico Supreme Court rules to allow same-sex marriage.”

“Judge Softens Utah’s Anti-Polygamy Law To Mixed Reactions”: This audio segment appeared on yesterday evening’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered.”

“The Last 24 Hours Before Oral Argument”: This audio segment posted online Monday, featuring attorney Kannon K. Shanmugam, is part of the “Sound Advice” audio library of the American Bar Association’s Section of Litigation.

By listening to the first few moments of the podcast, you can also learn both how to and how not to pronounce Kannon’s last name.

“Saith Scalia: In Memphis, the Supreme Court’s leading conservative makes the case for judicial literalism.” The Memphis Flyer has this report.

“Democrats Eye Deal To Confirm 4 Obama Nominees And Avoid Spending Christmas Eve Together”: Jennifer Bendery of The Huffington Post has this report.

“In Death Penalty’s Steady Decline, Some Experts See a Societal Shift”: Erik Eckholm has this article today in The New York Times.

And Pete Yost of The Associated Press reports that “Executions in US drop close to 20-year low in 2013.”

“Constitution Check: Is modern technology giving new life to the Fourth Amendment?” Lyle Denniston has this post today at the “Constitution Daily” blog of the National Constitution Center.

“Appeals court ‘troubled’ by top St. Louis prosecutor’s mid-trial tweeting”: This article appears today in The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.