“Coal miner’s daughter becomes Pa. Supreme Court justice, 2nd woman on highest bench”: Matthew Santoni of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has an article that begins, “The daughter of a coal miner was sworn in to a seat on Pennsylvania’s highest court by the daughter of a steelworker inside Pittsburgh’s Duquesne Club on Friday, then called upon her political supporters to elevate more women and minorities to the bench.”

“Ford Can’t Shake $6M Verdict From Pa. Crash”: Dan Packel of Law360.com has this report (subscription required for full access).

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s non-precedential Pa. Superior Court ruling appears at this link.

“Mandatory Union Fees Getting Hard Look by Supreme Court”: Adam Liptak will have this article in Saturday’s edition of The New York Times.

And Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News reports that “Union Fees From 5 Million Workers Targeted at U.S. Supreme Court.”

“Court to decide Johnson retroactivity”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

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

“Listen to Justice Antonin Scalia’s Metairie speech defending government support of religion”: Robert McClendon of The Times-Picayune has this report today.

“My Life in the Supermax: Finger handshakes, the toilet phone, and the ‘shoe bomber.'” Eli Hager has this article online today at The Marshall Project.

The article is also available online at Vice.

“Kerry Washington: Anita Hill role terrifying responsibility.” The Associated Press has this report.

“In Supreme Court labor case, echoes of gay marriage fight”: Lawrence Hurley of Reuters has this report.

And Sam Hananel of The Associated Press reports that “High court dispute over union fees could curb labor’s clout.”

“Justice Breyer on Term Limits, Differences with Justice Scalia and More”: Sara Randazzo has this post today at WSJ.com’s “Law Blog.”

“In battle over ‘forced recusals,’ Louisiana Supreme Court justice takes his case to federal court”: The Advocate of Baton Rouge, Louisiana recently had an article that begins, “In an unusual legal skirmish, Louisiana Supreme Court Justice Jeff Hughes filed a federal lawsuit over the holidays against four of his fellow justices, challenging their decision to exclude Hughes from participating in consideration of two so-called legacy lawsuits before the high court because the plaintiffs’ attorneys contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to his 2012 election.”

“Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin loses appeal of bribery conviction”: The New Orleans Advocate has this report.

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

“New Ariz. Supreme Court justice shows independent streak, legal analysts say”: In today’s edition of The Arizona Republic, Michael Kiefer has a front page article that begins, “Gov. Doug Ducey on Wednesday passed over a long list of experienced jurists to appoint an attorney from a conservative think tank to the Arizona Supreme Court.”

“O.C. teachers go before U.S. Supreme Court Monday over union dues”: The Orange County Register has this report.

“Pa. court upholds $5.9M verdict against Ford Motor Co. in airbag defect case”: Matt Miller of The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania has this report.

And Max Mitchell of The Legal Intelligencer reports that “Superior Court Upholds $5.9M Crashworthiness Award” (subscription required).

You can access today’s non-precedential ruling of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania in this case — which I briefed and argued on appeal on behalf of the plaintiffs-appellees — at this link.

“What’s at Stake in This Supreme Court Term?” The Center for American Progress hosted this event today. You can view the video on YouTube via this link.

“David Wecht sworn in to state’s highest court”: Matthew Santoni of The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has a news update that begins, “A few blocks from where David Wecht’s immigrant grandparents once ran a grocery store in the Hill District, a ballroom full of supporters watched him join the state’s highest court Thursday.”

“Alabama’s Obstruction of Gay Marriage Must Stop”: Law professor Noah Feldman has this essay online today at Bloomberg View.

“U.S. wants criminal law ruling to be retroactive”: Lyle Denniston has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

“Rosa Parks Is Still Rewriting Laws”: Law professor Noah Feldman has this essay online today at Bloomberg View.

“‘I Am an Attorney Because I Had an Abortion’: A powerful amicus brief to the Supreme Court is signed by 113 attorneys who shared their abortion stories.” Mark Joseph Stern has this jurisprudence essay online today at Slate.

“Alabama chief justice denies defying US Supreme Court”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Samsung urges U.S. court to overturn $120 million patent verdict for Apple”: Reuters has this report.

You can access the audio of Tuesday’s oral argument before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, in which Kathleen Sullivan argued for Samsung and William Lee argued for Apple, via this link (17.2 MB mp3 audio file).

“How Gay Marriage’s Triumph Could Protect Abortion Rights: The Supreme Court’s interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment may play a role in its biggest abortion case in decades.” David H. Gans has this essay online at The New Republic.

“Virginia’s former governor faces prison over politics”: Columnist George F. Will has this essay online at The Washington Post.

“Judge: Monkey cannot own selfie photos copyright.” The Associated Press has this report.

And David Kravets of Ars Technica reports that “Judge says monkey cannot own copyright to famous selfies; ‘This is an issue for Congress and the president,’ judge says from the bench.”

“Alabama probate judges should obey US Supreme Court on gay marriage, federal prosecutors say”: Kent Faulk of The Birmingham News has this report.

And The Associated Press reports that “Alabama probate judges resume issuing gay-marriage licenses.”

“Death Penalty Back Before State Supreme Court”: Alaine Griffin has this front page article in today’s edition of The Hartford Courant.

And Reuters reports that “Connecticut top court to hear new arguments on death penalty ban.”

“The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare: Rob Bilott was a corporate defense attorney for eight years; Then he took on an environmental suit that would upend his entire career — and expose a brazen, decades-long history of chemical pollution.” Nathaniel Rich will have this article in the January 10, 2016 issue of The New York Times Magazine.

“Judith S. Kaye, First Woman to Serve as New York’s Chief Judge, Dies at 77”: The New York Times has posted online this obituary written by Sam Roberts. And at the newspaper’s “Taking Note” blog, Jesse Wegman has a post titled “Judith Kaye, a Pioneer in New York’s Courts.”

The New York Daily News reports that “Former New York State Chief Justice Judith Kaye dies at 77.”

And The Times Union of Albany, New York reports that “Former Chief Judge Judith Kaye dies at 77.”

“The Supreme Court and a Life Barely Lived”: Linda Greenhouse has this essay online today at The New York Times.

“The sign that anti-abortion clinics say tramples their religious liberty”: Irin Carmon of msnbc.com has this report.

Today in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, the State of California filed this opposition to a clinic’s pending emergency motion for injunction pending appeal.

“Police use of Taser ruled ‘unreasonable’ in case of man who kept paramedics from resuscitating father”: MLive.com has this report.

The Associated Press has a report headlined “Court: Detroit-area deputies can be sued for using Taser on doctor in dispute over dad’s death.”

And Courthouse News Service reports that “Son Tased at Father’s Deathbed May Sue.”

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

Lyle Denniston is reporting: Today at “SCOTUSblog,” he has posts titled “Argument preview: A serious constitutional dilemma” and “Argument preview: A lofty issue for Puerto Rico.”

“Can Courts Stop Obama’s Gun Rules? It’s Unlikely.” Law professor Noah Feldman has this essay online at Bloomberg View.

“The Most Important Election Ever?” Jason P. Steed has this blog entry today at The Huffington Post.