“Justice Samuel Alito rips Supreme Court for not considering church coronavirus lawsuits”: Nicholas Rowan of the Washington Examiner has this report.

“Philly judge who wouldn’t wear a mask in his small, windowless courtroom has COVID-19”: Wendy Ruderman of The Philadelphia Inquirer has this report.

“COVID-19 Restrictions Are Suddenly in Peril at the Supreme Court; Amy Coney Barrett now has an opportunity to cast the fifth vote freeing churches from public health restrictions”: Mark Joseph Stern has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Address by Justice Samuel Alito”: The Federalist Society has posted this video on YouTube.

“Justice Alito’s Questions in California v. Texas Explain The Likely Aftermath Of a Dismissal on Standing Grounds; Finding that the state plaintiffs and the private plaintiffs lack standing will not settle the constitutionality of the ACA”: Josh Blackman has this post at “The Volokh Conspiracy,” along with a related posts titled “Reconsidering Redressability and Traceability in California v. Texas; The answer to questions from Justice Gorsuch and Barrett depends on how the Plaintiffs’ injuries are characterized” and “A Mandate or a Choice? Solicitor General Hawkins’s exchange with Justice Kagan illustrates the foundational disagreement about what NFIB held.”

“Pa. appellate court sides with Trump in fight over ID deadlines for voters, tossing small number of ballots”: Jeremy Roebuck of The Philadelphia Inquirer has this report on an order that a single judge of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania issued today.

“Thomas Kirsch — Nominee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit”: Harsh Voruganti has this post at his blog, “The Vetting Room.”

“Prop 25 failed, but California’s fight over cash bail is far from over; Case before state Supreme Court could overhaul bail system critics say is unjust”: Nico Savidge has this front page article in today’s edition of The San Jose Mercury News.

“State Supreme Court upholds Gov. Andy Beshear’s power to issue emergency COVID-19 orders”: Deborah Yetter of The Louisville Courier Journal has this report.

And Jack Brammer of The Lexington Herald-Leader reports that “Kentucky Supreme Court rules Beshear’s COVID-19 restrictions are legal.”

You can access today’s unanimous ruling of the Supreme Court of Kentucky at this link.

“Roman Catholic diocese seeks Supreme Court emergency relief over Cuomo coronavirus restrictions; Church said restrictions targeting houses of worship violate the First Amendment”: Ronn Blitzer of Fox News has this report. You can view the Emergency Application for Writ of Injunction at this link.

“Joe Biden’s new chief of staff knows how to get a Supreme Court justice confirmed”: Joan Biskupic of CNN has this report.

“Public hearing set on Augusta’s Melville Fuller statue; During a year when statues and monuments tied to the United States’ racist past are being taken down or removed, the state’s judicial branch is asking Kennebec County officials to consider moving statue of Maine judge involved in ‘separate but equal’ ruling”: Jessica Lowell has this front page article in today’s edition of The Kennebec Journal.

“Supreme Court Lies Low as Trump Keeps Pressing Election Claims”: Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News has this report.

“Blowback against Trump campaign law firm targets clients, recruiting”: Caroline Spiezio of Reuters has this report.

“Harvard Does Not Discriminate in Admissions, Appeals Court Rules; The case, filed by Asian-American plaintiffs, could now go to the Supreme Court, which has been the goal of groups seeking to end affirmative action”: Anemona Hartocollis of The New York Times has this report.

Nick Anderson of The Washington Post reports that “Appeals court upholds ruling that Harvard admissions does not discriminate against Asian Americans.”

Melissa Korn of The Wall Street Journal reports that “Appellate Court Determines Harvard Didn’t Violate Federal Civil-Rights Law; The university didn’t hold Asian-American applicants to a higher admissions standard, judges rule, teeing case up for possible Supreme Court review.”

Richard Wolf of USA Today reports that “Federal appeals court upholds Harvard University’s use of affirmative action policies.”

Jeff Mordock of The Washington Times reports that “Federal Appeals Court rejects affirmative action lawsuit against Harvard University.”

Deirdre Fernandes of The Boston Globe reports that “Federal appeals court rules that Harvard’s use of race in admissions is sound.”

Benjamin L. Fu and Dohyun Kim of The Harvard Crimson report that “First Circuit Rules Harvard Admissions Process Does Not Violate Title VI.”

Collin Binkley of The Associated Press reports that “Appeals court clears Harvard of racial bias in admissions.”

Nate Raymond and Jonathan Stempel of Reuters report that “U.S. court upholds Harvard race-based admissions; Supreme Court appeal expected.”

Patricia Hurtado of Bloomberg News reports that “Harvard Wins Appeals Fight Over Race in College Admissions.”

Pete Williams of NBC News reports that “Appeals court rejects affirmative action lawsuit against Harvard; Thursday’s ruling said Harvard did not engage in racial balancing or use quotas.”

Joan Biskupic of CNN reports that “Appeals court upholds Harvard’s affirmative action policy.

Bianca Quilantan of Politico reports that “Appeals court rules in favor of Harvard in affirmative action case, paving way for Supreme Court challenge; The administration-backed lawsuit could be the Supreme Court’s next opening to ban affirmative action.”

And Harper Neidig of The Hill reports that “Appeals court upholds Harvard’s affirmative action admissions program.”

You can access today’s unanimous 104-page ruling of a two-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit at this link.

“U.S. appeals court upholds Harvard University affirmative action program”: Reuters has this early report on a ruling that a unanimous two-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued today.

“Law Clerk Hiring Plan Extended”: The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts issued this news release today.