“Trump nominee called Kennedy ‘judicial prostitute'”: Seung Min Kim of Politico.com has an article that begins, “One of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees wrote nearly a decade ago that Justice Anthony Kennedy was akin to a ‘judicial prostitute’ — a comment that one liberal advocacy group says should disqualify him for the courts.”

“Will He or Won’t He? How Justice Anthony Kennedy’s retirement decision became a battle over the judiciary and the Trump presidency.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

15 years of “How Appealing” — reader mail: Today’s email is from Peg Durkin, a former Philadelphia attorney who is the head of public services at the UC Davis Mabie Law Library:

Congratulations on 15 years!

I moved to California 25 years ago and I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered your blog. In it, I found a good source of legal information, a link to all things Philly (Phillies and Eagles), and good reporting on the travails of Pennsylvania politics and the judiciary. I also enjoy the “bash” references. Keep up the good work.

Ms. Durkin, thanks so very much for your wonderful email. The 15 years of this blog’s history evidence a great deal of mutual admiration between me and law librarians, as reflected (among other places) in post you can access here, here, here, here, and here. I will post another reader email tomorrow.

“Federal judge tosses life sentences for convicted sniper Lee Boyd Malvo”: Tom Jackman of The Washington Post has this report.

“Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer speaks at the Cambridge Public Library”: Cambridge Community Television has posted this video on vimeo.

“Trump travel ban fight heads toward Supreme Court showdown”: Lawrence Hurley of Reuters has this report.

“2nd Circ. Grants En Banc Rehearing On Gay Bias Precedent”: Braden Campbell of Law360.com has an article (subscription required for full access) that begins, “The Second Circuit will reconsider as a full body its precedent that Title VII does not cover sexual orientation discrimination, granting en banc review Thursday to the estate of a gay skydiving instructor whose bias suit the court declined to revive in April.”