“University of San Diego appoints prominent Emory scholar dean of its law school; Robert Schapiro, an expert on the Supreme Court and federalism, will begin work in January”: Gary Robbins of The San Diego Union-Tribune has this report.

“Court-Packing, Term Limits, and More: The Debate over Reforming the Judiciary.” The Federalist Society hosted this virtual event today, and you can view the video on YouTube via this link.

“Patterson Belknap Launches New Podcast Exploring Legal Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg”: Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP issued this news release yesterday. You can access the audio of the first three episodes of the podcast — titled “Notorious: The Legal Legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg” — via this link.

“Progressive Groups Urge Biden to Move Quickly on Diverse Slate of Judges; The president-elect faces pressure to install a diverse group of progressives in the courts, but the prospect of a Republican-controlled Senate looms as an obstacle”: Carl Hulse had this article in Saturday’s edition of The New York Times.

“Campaign check: Loeffler says Warnock will ‘pack’ Supreme Court.” Henri Hollis of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has this report.

“New Supreme Court filing includes blatantly wrong information about Michigan”: Dave Boucher of The Detroit Free Press has a report that begins, “A longshot legal effort relying on conspiracy theories and inaccurate analyses to argue President Donald Trump actually won Michigan included additional blatantly false information in a new filing with the U.S. Supreme Court this week.”

“Wisconsin Supreme Court Was One Vote Away From Flipping the State to Trump”: Ed Kilgore has this post at the “Intelligencer” blog of New York Magazine.

Access today’s Order List of the U.S. Supreme Court: At this link. The Court granted review in three cases, two of which will be consolidated for purposes of oral argument.

“Court reverses order on pandemic restrictions at Nevada churches”: David Ferrara has this front page article in today’s edition of The Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Scott Sonner of The Associated Press reports that “Appeals court rules against Nevada cap on church attendance.”

And Nicholas Iovino of Courthouse News Service reports that “Ninth Circuit Blocks Covid Capacity Limits on Nevada Churches.”

You can access yesterday’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit at this link.

“N.C. residents’ lawsuit against CSX over flooding back on track — 4th Circuit”: Sebastien Malo of Reuters has this report (subscription required for full access) on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued yesterday.

“Trump’s election lawyers must be investigated; Licensing authorities within each state have the authority to examine attorney misconduct”: Scott Harsbarger, Lauren Stiller Rikleen, and Dennis Aftergut have this op-ed in today’s edition of The Boston Globe.

“Mass. Court Weighs Ban on Secret Recordings of Public Officials; Free speech groups argue that the Bay State’s law is out of step with national norms in an era where most people have a recording device in their pocket”: Philip Marcelo of NBC 10 in Boston had this report back in January 2020.

Yesterday, a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued this 72-page decision in the matter.

In news coverage, Law360 reports that “1st Circ. Says Mass. Recording Ban Doesn’t Apply To Police” (subscription required for access).

“Eventually, getting the COVID-19 vaccine could be required for many”: Liz Goodwin has this front page article in today’s edition of The Boston Globe discussing, among other things, the U.S. Supreme Court‘s 1905 ruling in Jacobson v. Massachusetts.

“Supreme Court reinstates death sentence for convicted Arizona killer”: Lauren Castle of The Arizona Republic has this report.

“Only the Ky Supreme Court can fix the bar exam fiasco once and for all”: Sarah Reddick has this essay online at The Lexington Herald Leader.

“Institutions Saved the 2020 Election; Trump may refuse to concede, but the judiciary and the states did their duty”: Columnist William A. Galston will have this op-ed in Wednesday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal.

“Trump’s Coup Attempt Isn’t Over”: Law professor Jeannie Suk Gersen has this post online at The New Yorker.

“Judicial independence must be preserved in our federal courts”: Law professor Charles Fried has this essay online at The Hill.

“Supreme Court continues to block state COVID-19 restrictions on religious gatherings”: Richard Wolf of USA Today has this report.

Alex Swoyer of The Washington Times reports that “Supreme Court sides with Colorado church in COVID-19 challenge.”

Terrence T. McDonald of The Record of Hackensack, New Jersey reports that “Supreme Court hands win to NJ priest, rabbi who sued over religious worship COVID restrictions.”

Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News has reports headlined “Colorado Church Wins Round at Supreme Court on Covid Limits” and “Supreme Court Orders New Review of New Jersey Church Capacity Caps.”

Ariane de Vogue of CNN reports that “Supreme Court backs religious groups against Covid-19 restrictions in Colorado and New Jersey.”

Pete Williams and Dareh Gregorian of NBC News report that “Supreme Court sides with houses of worship in Colorado, New Jersey, on coronavirus restrictions; The rulings are the latest by the high court against pandemic restrictions on religious institutions.”

Ronn Blitzer of Fox News reports that “Supreme Court sides with Colorado church, NJ religious leaders over state coronavirus restrictions; Lower courts instructed to review cases again in light of a ruling against similar restrictions in New York.”

And in related commentary, online at The Hill, law professor Aviam Soifer has an essay titled “For conservative justices, faith in ‘religious freedom’ trumps public health.”

Today the U.S. Supreme Court issued two orders, and you can access them here and here.

“Justices asked again to reinstate rule for abortion pill”: Mark Sherman of The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court a second time to reinstate a rule that women must pick up an abortion pill in person during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

And Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News reports that “U.S. Asks High Court to Halt Mail Delivery of Abortion Pills.”

You can access today’s federal government filing at this link.

“U.S. Senate votes 51-44 to confirm Kirsch as new federal appeals court judge”: Dan Carden of The Times of Munster, Indiana has this report.

Matthew Daly of The Associated Press reports that “Senate confirms Barrett replacement on federal appeals court.”

And Brandi Buchman of Courthouse News Service reports that “Senate Confirms Amy Coney Barrett Replacement on Seventh Circuit.”

You can access at this link today’s official roll call vote tally of the U.S. Senate confirming Thomas L. Kirsch II to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.

“Why Trump’s attempt to steal the election was too much even for Republican judges; Judges are highly political, but they aren’t exactly like politicians”: Ian Millhiser has this essay online at Vox.

“Bill Barr Quit. What Finally Spooked Him? The attorney general’s sudden departure raises alarms about what Trump might do next.” Law professor Noah Feldman has this essay online at Bloomberg Opinion.

“The moral hypocrisy of conservative leaders is stunning”: Columnist Michael Gerson has this op-ed in today’s edition of The Washington Post.

“Why Representative Mike Johnson Thinks That the Election Isn’t Over”: Isaac Chotiner has this “Q&A” online at The New Yorker.

“Time’s Up Is Refrain as Supreme Court Chafes at Remote Arguments”: Kimberly Strawbridge Robinson of Bloomberg Law has a report that begins, “Justice Samuel Alito had a lot to say and not much time to say it during the Supreme Court’s remote argument on counting undocumented immigrants as part of the census.”

“10th Circuit deems memes acceptable evidence in federal enticement case”: Michael Karlik of Colorado Politics has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued yesterday.

“The Ivy League’s Race Problem: Three cases have brought attention to the racial weighting used by the most elite universities.” Thomas Ascik has this post at the “Law & Liberty” blog.

“Raimondo’s 2 Supreme Court picks head to House floor”: Mark Reynolds of The The Providence (R.I.) Journal has this report.

“Oil companies fight to get climate cases before Supreme Court”: James Osborne of The Houston Chronicle has this report.

“Potential Trump self-pardon on shaky legal ground as left-leaning prosecutors loom”: Jeff Mordock of The Washington Times has this report.

“Thank You, Bill Barr: The Attorney General was the right man for the job in hyper-partisan times.” This editorial will appear in Tuesday’s edition of The Wall Street Journal.

“Georgia election challenge appealed to U.S. Supreme Court”: David Wickert of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has this report.

“Police Say Seizing Property Without Trial Helps Keep Crime Down. A New Study Shows They’re Wrong. Civil asset forfeiture laws, which allow police to seize property without trial, are frequently justified as tools to seize millions from kingpins. A new study reveals the median amount taken is as low as $369 in some states.” Ian MacDougall has this report online at ProPublica.

“New Mexico gets water victory over Texas at U.S. Supreme Court”: Phill Casaus of The Santa Fe New Mexican has this report.

Theresa Davis of The Albuquerque Journal reports that “Supreme Court sides with NM in Pecos River dispute with Texas.”

Susan Montoya Bryan of The Associated Press reports that “US Supreme Court sides with New Mexico in Pecos River fight.”

Ellen M. Gilmer of Bloomberg Law reports that “New Mexico Prevails Over Texas in Supreme Court Water Clash.”

Pamela King of Greenwire reports that “Supreme Court takes sides in interstate river flow fight.”

Rachel Frazin of The Hill reports that “Supreme Court gives New Mexico a win in water dispute with Texas.”

And Jack Rodgers of Courthouse News Service reports that “New Mexico Gets High Court Blessing in Evaporated Water Fight.”