“An essay concerning how Star Wars illuminates constitutional law: Former Obama official says constitutional law scholars are a lot like George Lucas.” David Kravets of Ars Technica has this report today.

I previously noted law professor Cass R. Sunstein‘s paper — titled “How Star Wars Illuminates Constitutional Law” — in this post from Thursday.

“‘Sweet Schemes’: The Harvard Law Review’s True Secret of Success.” Via the “Harvard Parody” blog, you can access this newly posted video on YouTube.

“State Supreme Court hears ‘wrongful life’ case”: Chris Potter has this front page article in today’s edition of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“A look at same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania, 1 year later”: Mackenzie Carpenter has this front page article in today’s edition of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, along with a related article headlined “Couple rushed to get license the day after ban lifted.”

“Tuesday’s primary could help determine shape of state Supreme Court”: James P. O’Toole has this front page article in today’s edition of The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

“Alabama Attorney General says citizens, not Supreme Court, should decide gay marriage laws”: Brian Lawson of The Huntsville Times has this report.

“The Same-Sex Couple Who Got a Marriage License in 1971”: Erik Eckholm will have this front page article in Saturday’s edition of The New York Times.

“Death Sentence for Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Unsettles City He Tore Apart”: Katharine Q. Seelye, Abby Goodnough, and Jess Bidgood will have this front page article in Sunday’s edition of The New York Times.

Mark Berman of The Washington Post reports that “The Boston Marathon bomber was sentenced to death, but the government can’t execute anyone right now.”

And Kim Bellware of The Huffington Post reports that “Why Dzhokhar Tsarnaev May Never Make It To The Death Chamber.”

“Okay, Who’s Gonna Go Argue That the Nun Threatened National Security?” Kevin Underhill has this post today at “Lowering the Bar.”

And The Associated Press reports that “3 anti-nuclear activists released from federal prison.”

“It turns out Ted Cruz does not get his insurance through Obamacare”: Katie Zezima has this entry today at the “Post Politics” blog of The Washington Post.

“Judge dismisses ‘whodunit’ suit over sex toy”: In yesterday’s edition of The Houston Chronicle, Cindy George had an article that begins, “Declaring on Thursday that a case presented to a jury this week remains a ‘whodunit,’ a Houston federal judge granted a directed verdict requested by a United Airlines lawyer and ended a sex toy humiliation case without closing arguments or jury deliberation.”

Earlier this week, the newspaper had related coverage headlined “Lawsuit involving passengers’ sex toy goes to federal trial” and “Baggage dispute at issue in trial.”

And Courthouse News Service reported earlier this week that “Man Testifies Dildo Prank Ruined His Life.”

This case previously had an appellate component. In November 2013, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued a non-precedential ruling that reversed the dismissal of the case at the pleadings stage. In news coverage of that ruling, Law360.com reported that “5th Circ. Revives Sex-Toy Suit Against United Continental” (subscription required for full access).

“UK frat house search was illegal, justices say”: Yesterday’s edition of The Louisville Courier-Journal contained this article.

The Associated Press reports that “Ky.’s high court vacates student’s drug conviction.”

And in earlier coverage, in February 2015 The Courier-Journal had an article headlined “UK frat house bust raises privacy issues” that begins, “The maxim that ‘a man’s home is his castle’ is one of the oldest in the law. But what about a man’s fraternity house?”

You can access Thursday’s ruling of the Supreme Court of Kentucky at this link.

“GOP renews abortion battle with eyes on the Supreme Court”: This video segment appeared on yesterday evening’s broadcast of The PBS NewsHour.

“AMC’s ‘Walking Dead’ Appeal Comes Up Short”: Courthouse News Service has a report that begins, “A New York appeals court shot down attempts by the cable network AMC to access certain records for its fight with the creator of ‘The Walking Dead.'”

You can access Tuesday’s ruling of the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, at this link.

“Virginia Supreme Court administrators say FOIA doesn’t apply to them”: This front page article appears in today’s edition of The Daily Press of Newport News, Virginia.

“Oklahoma execution case: Attorney General’s Office blames citation error for incorrect information sent to U.S. Supreme Court.” Barbara Hoberock of The Tulsa World has this report.

“Google versus Oracle case exposes differences within Obama administration”: Dan Levine and Lawrence Hurley of Reuters have an article that begins, “The Obama administration has been locked in internal wrangling over what position to take in high profile litigation between two American technology giants, Google and Oracle, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions. It faces an end-of-May deadline to decide whether to take sides in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court that will have wide implications for the technology industry.”

“Patience Roggensack to stay chief justice for now, after judge rules”: Patrick Marley has this front page article in today’s edition of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

“10th Circ. Reluctantly Bars USAF Capt.’s Childbirth Injury Suit”: Law360.com has this report (subscription required for full access) on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued today.

“Death penalty repeal advance called ‘a step of historical significance'”: The Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star has this news update.

And The Omaha World-Herald has a news update headlined “Nebraska lawmakers advance death penalty repeal to final round.”

“Frito-Lay loses battle over rival’s ‘Pretzel Crisps’ name”: Reuters has this report.

And Law360.com reports that “Fed. Circ. Nixes Ruling That ‘Pretzel Crisps’ Is Generic.”

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

Earlier, “The TTABlog” had a post titled “Precedential No. 6: TTAB Finds PRETZEL CRISPS Generic for Pretzel Crackers” about the ruling of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in the case.

And even earlier, The New York Times reported on the underlying dispute in an article headlined “Trademarks Take On New Importance in Internet Era.”

“Tsarnaev sentenced to death”: Patricia Wen, Kevin Cullen, and Milton J. Valencia of The Boston Globe have this updated report.

“Tsarnaev jurors reach verdict in penalty phase”: Patricia Wen, Kevin Cullen, and Milton J. Valencia of The Boston Globe have this news update.

The court has announced that it will go into session to receive the verdict at 3 p.m. eastern time today. Update: CNN has just reported that the verdict will be announced at 3:10 p.m. eastern time.

“9th Circuit Court overturns $85M award for Oregon soldiers”: The Oregonian has this report.

And The Associated Press reports that “Court overturns $85 million award for Oregon soldiers.”

You can access yesterday’s non-precedential ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at this link.

“Lululemon yoga pants lawsuit properly dismissed — US appeals court”: Jonathan Stempel of Reuters has this report on a non-precedential ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued today.

“Debate to repeal death penalty begins”: The Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star has this news update.

And today’s edition of The Omaha World-Herald contains a front page article headlined “Nebraska has purchased drugs necessary for lethal injections, Gov. Ricketts says.”

“Religious freedom bill sponsor Rep. Mike Johnson: Superman for Louisiana’s religious right?” Emily Lane of The Times-Picayune of New Orleans has this report.

“U.S. appeals court restores guilty plea in ‘squawk box’ case”: Jonathan Stempel of Reuters has this report on a non-precedential ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued today.

“3rd Circuit Upholds Constitutionality of 2257; Remands requirement that recordkeepers be available to inspectors 20 hours per week”: Mark Kernes of AVN News has an article that begins, “In a ruling that is likely to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Third Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals [yesterday] issued a ruling upholding the constitutionality of the federal recordkeeping and labeling law, 18 U.S.C. sec. 2257, despite the fact that the law does little to prevent minors from appearing in adult content.”

“Anti-gay marriage bill author says his measure may not be dead”: Robert T. Garrett of The Dallas Morning News has this blog post today.

“Justice Kagan Highlights Day 3 of the 2015 Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference”: Steve Delchin has this post today at the “Sixth Circuit Appellate Blog.”

“TSA air marshal reinstated after Supreme Court win”: USA Today has this report.

“Texas anti-gay marriage bill in limbo with time running out”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “An effort by Texas Republicans to defy the U.S. Supreme Court if gay marriage is legalized hung in limbo Thursday, as Democrats tried to run out the clock on bill that would prohibit government employees from issuing wedding licenses to same-sex couples.”

“Lesbian partner isn’t ‘parent’ of baby born through artificial insemination, appeals court rules”: Aimee Green of The Oregonian has this news update reporting on a ruling that the Oregon Court of Appeals issued yesterday.

“In Memoriam: Dan Markel.” The current issue of the Florida State University Law Review contains three essays that you can access here, here, and here.

And in a recent post at “TaxProf Blog,” Paul Caron reprints a Facebook post from Dan’s father about the unveiling of the headstone last month at Dan’s gravesite.