“Larger 9th Circuit panel won’t rehear Idaho gay marriage case”: The Idaho Statesman has this news update.

And The Associated Press reports that “Appellate court won’t reconsider Idaho gay marriage.”

You can access today’s order of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit denying rehearing en banc at this link. Circuit Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain issued a lengthy dissent, in which Circuit Judges Johnnie B. Rawlinson and Carlos T. Bea joined.

“Federal Appeals Court Appears Poised To Strike Down Three Southern States’ Same-Sex Marriage Bans; After oral arguments about Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas’ bans on marriages for same-sex couples, the 5th Circuit of Appeals looks likely to strike the laws down”: Chris Geidner of BuzzFeed has this report.

“The Complete Posner on Posner Series”: The “Concurring Opinions” blog has collected the links to all 12 entries in the series in this one post.

“A New Year For Technology at the Supreme Court? Not a Chance.” Eric Segall has this blog post today at “Dorf on Law.”

“Second Thoughts About the Fourth Circuit’s First Amendment Ruling on Mandatory Ultrasound for Women Seeking Abortions”: Michael Dorf has this post today at his blog, “Dorf on Law.”

“Appeals court won’t rehear a BP oil spill liability argument”: The Associated Press has this report on an order (accompanied by a dissent) that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued today denying rehearing en banc by a vote of 7-to-6.

“Court orders new look at armed criminal law”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

You can access today’s order of the U.S. Supreme Court at this link.

“Supreme Court Dismisses Case After Litigant Never Surfaces; Plaintiff Whose Case Was Accepted by High Court Can’t Be Found”: Brent Kendall of The Wall Street Journal has this report.

“Oklahoma death row inmates seek emergency stays of execution”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Attorneys on Friday asked a federal appeals court to delay the executions of four Oklahoma inmates while the court considers their joint appeal.”

“Civil rights loom as appeals court considers gay marriage”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Supreme Court dismisses case with missing plaintiff”: The Associated Press has this report.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has posted online the audio of today’s three same-sex marriage oral arguments: You can access the audio via this link.

The oral argument in the Louisiana case can be accessed here (55.2 MB mp3 audio file).

The oral argument in the Mississippi case can be accessed here (57.5 MB mp3 audio file).

And the oral argument in the Texas case can be accessed here (55.4 MB mp3 audio file).

Alan M. Dershowitz argued an appeal on Tuesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit: You can access the oral argument audio via this link (92.8 MB mp3 audio file).

“Court issues orders but does not grant any new cases”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

Lawrence Hurley of Reuters reports that “U.S. Supreme Court takes no action on pending gay marriage cases.”

And Josh Gertstein of Politico.com has a blog post titled “Supreme Court silent on same-sex marriage cases.”

You can access today’s italicized Order List of the U.S. Supreme Court at this link.

“House Vote and Nebraska Ruling Raise Pressure on Obama Over Pipeline”: The New York Times has this news update.

“High court justices meet to decide whether to hear gay marriage case”: David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times has this news update.

“Appeals judges ask more questions from gay marriage opponents at hearing on Louisiana’s ban”: Andy Grimm of The Times-Picayune of New Orleans has this news update.

Chuck Lindell and Jazmine Ulloa of The Austin American-Statesman have a news update headlined “Judges skeptical of Louisiana marriage arguments.”

And The Associated Press has a report headlined “Louisiana’s appeal: Gay marriage is ‘novel’ and risky.”

“Chief Justice Thomas G. Saylor induction ceremony”: The Unified Judicial System of Pennsylvania has posted the video at this link.

“It’s high noon for high court on gay marriage”: Richard Wolf of USA Today has this report.

And The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that “Legal experts predict Supreme Court will take gay marriage case from Ohio’s federal appeals court.”

“Nebraska Supreme Court upholds law used to route Keystone XL”: Joe Duggan of The Omaha World-Herald has this news update.

Nicholas Bergin of The Lincoln Journal Star has a news update headlined “Court upholds law used to route Keystone XL.”

Andrew Harris of Bloomberg News reports that “Keystone Pipeline Nebraska Path Cleared by State High Court.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Nebraska high court tosses suit over Keystone pipeline route.”

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

It is interesting to note that Nebraska is another state that has adopted a constitutional provision specifying that “[n]o legislative act shall be held unconstitutional except by the concurrence of five judges.” Although four of the seven justices in today’s ruling voted to hold that the law being challenged — which allows allows “major oil pipeline” carriers to bypass ordinary regulatory procedures — was unconstitutional, the constitutional challenge failed by operation of law because a super-majority of five justices did not agree.

“Donald Lemons becomes 26th Va. Supreme Court chief justice”: Frank Green of The Richmond Times-Dispatch has this report.

“Court of Appeals begins 2015 two judges down”: Capital New York has an article that begins, “The state’s highest court is set to begin its 2015 session down two judges from its usual complement of seven, a deficit that could potentially affect dozens of cases on the court’s docket.”

“Billboards and the Bill of Rights: The Supreme Court is slowly changing the meaning of words in free-speech law — and not for the better.” Law professor Garrett Epps has this essay online today at The Atlantic.

“Oklahoma man who struck down Ten Commandments monument heads home from hospital, the same day the monument is replaced at Capitol”: The Oklahoman has this report.

“East Tennessee gay couples await Supreme Court announcement”: The Knoxville News Sentinel has this report.

And The Detroit Free Press reports today that “Supreme Court may take Michigan same-sex marriage case.”

“Gay marriage bans in South will be heard in federal court”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Bans on gay marriage in three staunchly conservative Southern states were to get a hearing in a federal appeals court Friday — the latest legal battle over an issue expected to be settled by the nation’s highest court.”