“Bruce Castor had a big spotlight to open Trump’s impeachment defense. It didn’t go well.” Jeremy Roebuck of The Philadelphia Inquirer has this report.

“The Wolf administration won’t appeal a state court ruling that tossed victim-rights law overwhelmingly supported by voters”: Anna Orso of The Philadelphia Inquirer has this report. According to the article, at least one other party has already appealed from the ruling.

“‘Disorganized, random’: Several GOP senators criticize performance of Trump’s lawyers.” Amy B Wang and Felicia Sonmez of The Washington Post have this report.

“Business lobby wants SCOTUS to rein in ‘uninjured’ classes, DOJ wary of ‘atypical’ plaintiff”: Alison Frankel’s “On the Case” from Thomson Reuters News & Insight has this post.

“Senate schedules confirmation hearing for Merrick Garland”: Michael Balsamo of The Associated Press has this report.

“Meandering Performance by Defense Lawyers Enrages Trump; The former president was particularly angry at Bruce L. Castor Jr., one of his lawyers, for acknowledging the effectiveness of the House Democrats’ presentation”: Maggie Haberman of The New York Times has this report.

“Prominent GOP donor asks state Supreme Court to block latest Tony Evers mask mandate”: Molly Beck of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has this report.

“Vote to remove Maine statue of Supreme Court justice who upheld segregation laws comes next week”: Nick Schroeder of The Bangor Daily News has this report.

“Cases cross: Fellow inmate says convicted Dan Markel killer claims he was coerced to lie on stand.” Karl Etters of The Tallahassee Democrat has this report (subscription required for access).

“Will Stephen Breyer Take One for the Team?” Irin Carmon, Benjamin Hart, and Ed Kilgore have this discussion at the “Intelligencer” blog of New York Magazine.

“Who’s afraid of Josh Hawley?” Law professor Irina Manta and Berin Szóka have this essay online at The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

“Counting votes in the South Bay decision”: Tom Goldstein has this post at “SCOTUSblog.”

“U.S. Supreme Court sticks its nose into California’s business — and puts us in COVID danger”: This editorial appears in today’s edition of The Los Angeles Times.

“‘I’m Not a Cat,’ Says Lawyer Having Zoom Difficulties; The video was immediately shared widely and brought joy to many; The lawyer, Rod Ponton, said he was happy people got a much-needed laugh”: Daniel Victor of The New York Times has this report.

Salvador Hernandez of BuzzFeed News reports that “An Attorney Couldn’t Figure Out How To Remove The Cat Filter From His Zoom Court Hearing; ‘I’m not a cat!’ the attorney reassured the judge.”

And Angela Morris of Texas Lawyer has a report headlined “Meow! A Lawyer’s Mishap on Zoom Is Going Viral; ‘I’ve received more calls on that than all my criminal cases,’ said another attorney in the hearing with the cat-lawyer.”

The 394th District Court of Texas posted on YouTube today the video titled “Kitten Zoom Filter Mishap.”

“Boise will settle controversial homeless camping lawsuit, change city code”: Hayley Harding has this front page article in today’s edition of The Idaho Statesman.

“State Supreme Court: Peoria’s $2.6M subsidy to university violates Arizona constitution.” Joshua Bowling of The Arizona Republic has this report on a ruling that a unanimous Supreme Court of Arizona issued yesterday.

“Vote on abortion amendment necessary because Kansas Supreme Court acted as lawmakers”: Bob Lewis has this essay online at The Kansas City Star.

“Colorado Supreme Court releases memo citing examples of sex-discrimination, judicial misconduct that led to alleged contract for silence; Memo behind $2.5 million contract released and high court maintains there was no quid-pro-quo”: David Migoya of The Denver Post has this report.

“Biden and Democrats prepare to act fast on judges, having learned lesson from Trump”: Ariane de Vogue of CNN has this report.

“Sweetening Senior Status Is Potential Path to Boost Judge Supply”: Madison Alder of Bloomberg Law has this report.

“Ed Whelan Awarded Antonin Scalia Chair in Constitutional Studies”: The Ethics and Public Policy Center issued this news release today.

“Sirius XM Urges Ninth Circuit to Dump Judgment on Pre-1972 Music Royalties; Sirius argued no state has recognized an artist’s right to control how and where their music is played after the recording is sold”: Martin Macias Jr of Courthouse News Service has this report.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has posted on YouTube at this link the video of yesterday’s oral argument in Flo & Eddie, Inc. v. Sirius XM Radio Inc..

“Abortion protesters sue Huntsville over free speech rights”: Brandon Moseley of Alabama Political Reporter had this report back in March 2019.

Today, a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit issued this decision affirming the district court’s dismissal of plaintiffs’ complaint. Chief Judge William H. Pryor Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court.

“‘Misguided Attack’: 14 Judges Join Dissent to 9th Circuit Denial to Rehear Death Penalty Case; In a Monday opinion denying rehearing en banc of a death penalty case, 14 9th Circuit judges joined a dissent to the denial; However, both the dissents and the concurrences to the decision crossed party lines.” Alaina Lancaster of The Recorder has this report on an order denying rehearing en banc by a 15-to-14 vote, and the opinions concurring therein and dissenting therefrom, that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued yesterday.

“Nebraska direct warning waiver applies to medical devices in Teva IUD case — 8th Circ”: Brendan Pierson of Reuters has this report on a ruling that a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued yesterday.

Caperton case results in granting of habeas relief in Seventh Circuit: A unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued this decision yesterday.

“Did Tennessee Execute an Innocent Man? If DNA exonerates Sedley Alley, it will be the first time someone was proved to have been wrongly put to death.” Emily Bazelon has this essay online at The New York Times.

“Democrats have a back-up plan in case the Senate doesn’t convict Trump on impeachment”: Michael Wilner of McClatchy DC has this report.

“Pandemics, Religious Supremacy, and Supreme Court Overreaching”: Eric J. Segall has this post at the blog of the American Constitution Society.

And at his “Dorf on Law” blog, Michael C. Dorf has a post titled “Did the Supreme Court Inadvertently Exempt Movies and Other Secular Expressive Activities From COVID Restrictions?“

“Wave of departures leaves federal court seats for Biden to fill”: Harper Neidig of The Hill has this report.