Access online today’s Order List of the U.S. Supreme Court: At this link. The Court granted review today in one new case.
In Woods v. Etherton, No. 15-723, the Court issued a per curiam summary reversal of the judgment of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
And in Kakarala v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., No. 15-712, Justice Clarence Thomas issued a dissent from the denial of certiorari.
In early news coverage, The Associated Press reports that “Supreme Court will take up case about juror’s racial bias“; “High court rejects challenge to Miss. campaign finance law“; and “Justices reject Wal-Mart, Wells Fargo class-action appeals.”
And Lawrence Hurley of Reuters reports that “Supreme Court declines to take up Wal-Mart class action appeal.”
“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Reflections of a Counterclerk.” Law professor Gil Seinfeld has this post at the “First Impressions” site of the Michigan Law Review.
“Wendell Pierce on playing US Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in ‘Confirmation'”: Jennifer Brett has this blog post today at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
“The next Supreme Court pick matters less than you think”: Law professor David Cole has this essay online at The Washington Post.
“$28.2 million carbon monoxide poisoning jury decision not a ‘runaway verdict,’ judge rules”: Jeremy Fugleberg had this article in The Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune back in October 2014. You can access the decision of the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming denying defendants’ post-judgment motions at this link.
On Friday, the majority on a partially divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued this decision reducing the punitive component of the judgment from $25.5 million to $1.95 million.
“After Apple Case, Encryption Vs. National Security Dilemma Has Just Begun”: This audio segment appeared on yesterday’s broadcast of NPR’s “Weekend Edition Saturday.”
“Appeals court calls SDPD dog bite ‘severe’ force; The issue: Should police let dogs loose on potential, but unseen suspects?” Kristina Davis of The San Diego Union-Tribune has an article that begins, “A San Diego police dog that bit through a woman’s lip as she slept in her office after hours could be viewed as a severe use of force, and that question, as well whether it was appropriate, should be considered by a jury, a federal appeals court ruled Friday.”
And Reuters reports that “Court revives California challenge to police dog ‘bite & hold’ policy.”
You can access Friday’s ruling of a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at this link. The majority opinion begins, “After a night of drinking with her friends . . . .”
“Getting one over on a Supreme Court justice”: Alissa C. Wetzel has this essay online at The South Bend (Ind.) Tribune.
“Control of state courts becomes a top political battleground”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Much attention is being paid to the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy, but equally partisan battles are being waged for control of state courts around the nation.”
“Merrick Garland Loves Taylor Swift Sing-Alongs — And More Fun Facts About the Supreme Court Nominee”: Tierney McAfee of People magazine has this report.
“Twice Retired, Ex-Purple People Eater Is Still Passionate About Goals”: Christopher Farrell had this profile of retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page in yesterday’s edition of The New York Times.
“Justices asked to rule that racial bias trumps jury secrecy”: Mark Sherman of The Associated Press has this report.
“Sen. Jerry Moran backtracks, ‘didn’t need hearings’ for Supreme Court nominee; Change of course follows week of conservative backlash”: Justin Wingerter of The Topeka Capital-Journal has this report.
And Alex Leary of The Tampa Bay Times has a blog post titled “Rubio won’t meet with Obama’s Supreme Court pick.”
“Will next Supreme Court justice come from Atlantic Canada?” Kevin Bissett of The Canadian Press has an article that begins, “Officials in Newfoundland and Labrador are lobbying to have the next Supreme Court of Canada justice come from their province, but legal experts say the federal government will likely prioritize race or language over geography.”
And in Thursday’s edition of The Toronto Globe and Mail, Sean Fine had an article headlined “Newfoundland lobbies Ottawa for spot on Supreme Court.”
“In PEI, the right to choose: No longer ‘the shame of being shipped off the island.'” This article appears in today’s edition of The Toronto Globe and Mail.
And in Friday’s edition of that newspaper, Sean Fine had an article headlined “PEI drops opposition to abortion, plans to provide access by year’s end.”
“Hillary Clinton to attack Rebecca Bradley Saturday night”: Mary Spicuzza of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has an article that begins, “Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will take aim at state Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Bradley during her Saturday night speech at the Founder’s Day Dinner in Milwaukee. Clinton is expected to argue that there’s no place on any court for someone like Bradley, citing the justice’s comments about women, survivors of sexual assault, and gays and lesbians.”
And Shawn Johnson of Wisconsin Public Radio reports that “Kloppenburg Touts Her Impartiality, But Sends Partisan Signals On The Campaign Trail; Appeals Court Judge Says She’s Earned Her Position While Bradley Owes Her Career To Walker.”
“Trump said he plans to announce a list of 10 to 12 judges from which he would pick to fill vacancies on the Supreme Court to allay concerns from conservatives that he wouldn’t choose someone to their liking.” Bob Woodward and Robert Costa of The Washington Post have an article headlined “In a revealing interview, Trump predicts a ‘massive recession’ but intends to eliminate the national debt in 8 years.”
It will be interesting to see how many of those judges are on Twitter.
“On Alaska Supreme Court, a placid vacancy compared to federal furor”: James Brooks of The Juneau Empire has this report.
“Boozman: Will meet Supreme Court nominee, won’t support hearings.” John Lyon of Arkansas News Bureau has this report.
“SCOTUS 4-4 Decisions Send Mixed Messages”: Kimberly Robinson of Bloomberg BNA has this report.
“The negligent 4-year-old?” Eugene Volokh has this post at “The Volokh Conspiracy.”
“Supreme Court Fight Rescues a Justice From Obscurity”: Carl Hulse will have this new installment of his “On Washington” column in Saturday’s edition of The New York Times.
“4-4 at the Supreme Court”: Amy Davidson has this post online today at The New Yorker.
Programming note: After appearing with Tony Mauro of The National Law Journal this afternoon as a guest speaker for the Supreme Court Clinic of the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, I will be returning home to the Philadelphia area. As a result, additional posts will appear here tonight.
In the interim, appellate-related updates likely will appear on this blog’s Twitter feed.
“Courtesy Calls Give Senators A Chance To Get To Know Supreme Court Nominees”: This audio segment appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR’s “Morning Edition.”
“Merrick Garland to Meet With More Republicans”: Today at the “First Draft” blog of The New York Times, Carl Hulse has a post that begins, “The White House has lined up more meetings between the Supreme Court nominee Judge Merrick B. Garland and Republican lawmakers, with Senators Susan Collins of Maine and John Boozman of Arkansas scheduled to sit down with him on Tuesday.”
“Garland bails on shot dog case”: Josh Gerstein of Politico.com has this blog post.
You can access today’s ruling of a two-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit at this link.
“Shirley Hufstedler, Pioneering Judge and First Cabinet-Level Education Secretary, Is Dead at 90”: This obituary written by Sam Roberts appears in today’s edition of The New York Times.
Jill Leovy of The Los Angeles Times has written an obituary headlined “Shirley Hufstedler dies at 90; judge served as first secretary of Education.”
Emily Langer of The Washington Post has written an obituary headlined “Shirley Hufstedler, first secretary of the newly created Education Dept., dies at 90.”
And the Public Information Office of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has posted online a news release titled “Ninth Circuit Recalls Shirley M. Hufstedler.”
“If you are trying to access the Indiana Law Blog, it has gone dark, effective late Thursday, March 31, 2016.” If you seek to access the “Indiana Law Blog” today, you will receive this message. On a more hopeful note, however, the message goes on to say that “the search for a sponsor has not quite ended, [and] it is possible the ILB may return within a few weeks.”
“Outraged by Kansas Justices’ Rulings, G.O.P. Seeks to Reshape Court”: In Saturday’s edition of The New York Times, Erik Eckholm will have an article that begins, “Washington is locked in partisan warfare over control of the Supreme Court. But it is hardly the only place. Look at the states, where political attacks on judicial decisions are common and well-financed attack ads are starting to jar the once-sleepy elections for State Supreme Court seats.”
“Justice Scalia’s cruel irony: His absences exposes truth about Supreme Court; Scalia’s empty chair, and a 4-4 tie, prove again how political our Supreme Court has become.” Law professor Eric Segall has this essay at Salon.com.
“Obama to return to U. of C. Law School to push for Garland”: Lynn Sweet of The Chicago Sun-Times has this report.
And Mike DeBonis of The Washington Post reports that “Obama to give speech in Chicago on Supreme Court vacancy dispute.”
