“Shareholder firm wants to organize pension funds to battle biz amici”: Alison Frankel’s “On the Case” from Thomson Reuters News & Insight has this post today.

“‘Not finished yet’: More arrests likely in Markel case.” Karl Etters of The Tallahassee Democrat has this report, along with an article headlined “Details in Markel case sparse at TPD press conference.”

Sean Rossman of The Tallahassee Democrat has articles headlined “Mystery of Markel’s death gripped Tallahassee” and “‘Healing process’ for Markel home.”

Jeff Burlew of The Tallahassee Democrat reports that “Suspect in Dan Markel case has long rap sheet.”

And Tonya Alanez of The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that “Man arrested in Hallandale Beach linked to 2014 killing of FSU professor, investigators say.”

“GOP Senator Says He Was Unmoved By Meeting With Merrick Garland Before Meeting Actually Happens; A Utah newspaper published an op-ed by Sen. Orrin Hatch saying the meeting hadn’t changed his mind about Garland; There was just one problem”:
Cristian Farias and Sam Stein of The Huffington Post have this report today.

And Lawrence Hurley of Reuters has a report headlined “Oops! Senator’s article tells of phantom meeting with Obama nominee.”

“Another Blow to Holding Banks Accountable for the Financial Crisis”: Jesse Eisinger has this post online today at The New Yorker.

“The Next Supreme Court Confirmation Battle”: The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia hosted this event earlier tonight featuring several distinguished participants, and you can access the video on YouTube at this link.

Numerical proof that “How Appealing” is a centrist law blog: Thanks to my participation this week as a speaker/panelist at the Judicial Conference of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, I have now taken part as a speaker or panelist at the judicial conferences of the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Circuits. You can’t stay closer to the center of the 11 numbered circuits than that.

In addition, some years ago I spoke on a panel at a D.C. Circuit judicial conference, but since that is not a numbered circuit it doesn’t count. That conference was notable in retrospect, however, because at one point I did share an elevator with D.C. Circuit Judge, and current U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Merrick B. Garland.

“In the final stretch, how will a divided Supreme Court rule on these big cases?” David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times has this report.

Programming note: This afternoon I will be returning home to the Philadelphia region from Louisville, Kentucky, where I have been attending the Judicial Conference of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit as a speaker/panelist. I had a very enjoyable time at the conference and visiting Louisville for the very first time. Additional posts will appear here this evening.

As always while I am traveling, in the interim additional appellate- and law-related items may appear on this blog’s Twitter feed. This blog now has over 5,800 followers on Twitter, but there’s always room for more.

“State Supreme Court to hear oral arguments in suit over birth certificates”: John Lyon of the Arkansas News Bureau has an article that begins, “The Arkansas Supreme Court said Wednesday it will hear oral arguments in a lawsuit over whether same-sex couples are entitled to obtain amended birth certificates for their children listing both spouses as parents.”

“U.S. Supreme Court allows secret debate in John Doe filing”: Jason Stein of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has an article that begins, “The U.S. Supreme Court for now is allowing arguments partly in secret in a case over whether the high court should hear a dispute over the shutdown of an investigation into Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign and conservative groups backing him.”

“Challengers say NC Supreme Court infected by politics”: Anne Blythe has this front page article in today’s edition of The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina.

“Constitution Check: Will the right of the poor to a defense lawyer be expanded?” Lyle Denniston has this post today at the “Constitution Daily” blog of the National Constitution Center.

“Trump’s SCOTUS List and the Garland Nomination”: Michael Dorf has this post at his “Dorf on Law” blog.

And online at The Washington Times, Newt Gingrich has an essay titled “Populism, diversity in Trump’s Supreme Court list; Diverse law school, state judicial backgrounds.”

“Trump short-lister backs cereal maker in contamination case”: Robin Bravender of Greenwire has this report.

“Ohio Christian School’s Land Use Claims Reinstated”: Jeffrey D. Koelemay of Bloomberg BNA has this report on a ruling that a partially divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued last week.

“Is an Eight-Member Supreme Court So Bad?” Kimberly Robinson of Bloomberg BNA has this report.

“United States Opposes Cert in NLRB Cases”: Matthew L.M. Fletcher has this post today at the “Turtle Talk” blog.

“Thweatt on federal lawsuit: ‘This is all for security and plain good sense’; 10 states, other entities take frustration with the Obama administration.” In today’s edition of The Times Record News of Wichita Falls, Texas, Christopher Collins and Lana Sweeten-Shults have a front page article that begins, “On Wednesday, 10 states and other entities took their frustration with the Obama administration’s guidance on transgender bathroom policies to the federal courthouse in Wichita Falls.”

In today’s edition of The New York Times, David Montgomery and Alan Blinder have an article headlined “States Sue Obama Administration Over Transgender Bathroom Policy.”

And Molly Hennessy-Fiske of The Los Angeles Times reports that “LGBT divide grows as 11 states sue feds over transgender bathroom rule.”

“Eight Justices Are Enough”: Law professor Barry P. McDonald has this op-ed in today’s edition of The New York Times.

“The Supreme Court’s Wishful Thinking About Compromise”: Linda Greenhouse has this essay online today at The New York Times.

“Man faces murder charge in Dan Markel’s death”: Karl Etters of The Tallahassee Democrat has an article that begins, “A man has been arrested in connection with the July 2014 shooting death of Florida State University law professor Dan Markel.”