“Memorial Proceeding for Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, Thursday, December 5, 2019”: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has issued this news release.

“Ban on Planned Parenthood Medicaid Funding Likely Illegal”: Brian Flood of Bloomberg Law has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued today.

“Before First Federal Execution in Years, Family of Victims Dissents; A white supremacist was convicted of horrible crimes; But victims’ family members, the prosecutor and the judge have all said the death sentence was too arbitrary to justify”: Campbell Robertson of The New York Times has this report.

“Trump Ninth Circuit Judicial Picks Next to Face Senate Panel”: Madison Alder of Bloomberg Law has this report.

The Las Vegas Sun has published an editorial titled “Those who want ‘Law, Not Politics’ should vote down judicial activist nominee VanDyke.”

And online at The Las Vegas Review-Journal, columnist Victor Joecks has an essay titled “VanDyke a great pick for Nevada’s open Ninth Circuit seat.”

Today, the American Bar Association issued a letter (access page one and page two) rating Ninth Circuit nominee Lawrence VanDyke “not qualified.”

VanDyke will be one of two Ninth Circuit nominees whose confirmation hearing will occur tomorrow morning at 10 a.m. eastern time before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

“Emanuel victims ‘won this round’ and can sue feds, US Appeals Court rules”: Sara Coello of The Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina has an article that begins, “The full 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stood by their colleagues’ determination that Emanuel AME Church shooting survivors should be able to sue the federal government for failing to stop Dylann Roof’s rampage, they determined Tuesday.”

“AFJ: VanDyke Confirmation Would Be Bad For The Environment.” The Alliance for Justice issued this news release today and a related report.

“Justice Sotomayor ’79 Shares Insights on Life and the Law During Alumni Weekend”: Yale Law School issued this news release last week.

You can access the video of the event via this link.

“Indiana Supreme Court sets excessiveness standard for forfeiture of property used in crimes”: Dan Carden of The Times of Munster, Indiana has this report.

And Tom Davies of The Associated Press reports that “Despite Supreme Court ruling, seized Land Rover not returned.”

My earlier coverage of yesterday’s Indiana Supreme Court ruling can be accessed here.

“Homeless Advocates: U.S. Supreme Court Should Reject Boise Ordinance Appeal.” James Dawson of Boise State Public Radio has this report.

“Federal judge blocks Alabama abortion ban from taking effect”: Melissa Brown and Brian Lyman of The Montgomery Advertiser have this report.

Alan Blinder of The New York Times reports that “Alabama Abortion Ban Is Blocked by a Federal Judge; The Alabama law, which would have forbidden abortions in almost every instance, was scheduled to take effect on Nov. 15.”

Abbey Crain of Alabama Media Group reports that “Federal judge blocks Alabama abortion ban.”

Kim Chandler of The Associated Press reports that “Federal judge blocks Alabama’s strict abortion ban.”

Tucker Higgins of CNBC reports that “Federal judge halts Alabama abortion law deemed the strictest in the nation.”

And Ema O’Connor of BuzzFeed News reports that “A Judge Just Blocked Alabama’s Near-Total Ban On Abortion; The law was written by anti-abortion advocates to be challenged in court until it reaches the Supreme Court, in the hopes of overturning Roe v. Wade.”

You can access today’s order of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama at this link.

“Originalism Is Beside the Point”: Bruce P. Frohnen has this post at the “Law & Liberty” blog.

And at the “ExpertForum” blog of the American Constitution Society, Eric J. Segall has a post titled “Burying the Dead Hand: Taking the Original out of Originalism.”

“Fair & Impartial Judiciary Symposium”: If you did not attend this event in Philadelphia last Saturday, you can access the videos of two portions of the day here and here. If readers are aware of any links to additional video segments from this event, please let me know.

“The complicated nature of Native American adoptions: Does a Utah court ruling conflict with federal law?” Annie Knox of The Deseret News has this report.

“Female Genital Mutilation and the Treaty Power: What Congress Can Do.” Daniel Rice has this post at the “Just Security” blog.

“‘The Wild West’: Questions surround Trump legal team payments.” Luppe B. Luppen and Hunter Walker of Yahoo News have this report.

“Trump Attorneys Assert Immunity From Broad Sweep of Law; Legal filings and lawyers’ statements show attempt to put president beyond legal reach while in office”: Byron Tau of The Wall Street Journal has this report.

“Lawyer: Chief justice’s order banning photos, filming outside 2 Arizona court buildings is unconstitutional.” Howard Fischer of The Arizona Daily Star has an article that begins, “Taking photos outside the Arizona Supreme Court in Phoenix or the Court of Appeals building in Tucson could now land you in jail.”

“So much for states’ rights: Trump asks the Supreme Court to block California’s ‘sanctuary state’ law; Republican justices face a test of whether they will remain loyal to their principles when those principles cut against the GOP.” Ian Millhiser has this essay online at Vox.