U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit applies Taliban law: You can access yesterday’s Federal Circuit ruling at this link.

“Complaints, Actions & Finality After Dismissals Without Prejudice; The D.C. Circuit split on finality after a dismissal without prejudice, with one judge questioning the distinction between dismissals of complaints and dismissals of actions”: Bryan Lammon has this post at his “final decisions” blog.

“Inmate With Mental Illness Should Have Been Given a Lawyer”: Blake Brittain of Bloomberg Law has this report on a ruling that a partially divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Circuit Judge Frank H. Easterbrook issued a noteworthy opinion dissenting in part.

“She sued a prosecutor for mishandling her rape case. She lost, but a judge called it ‘sickening.'” Joe Gyan Jr. has this front page article in today’s edition of The Advocate of Baton Rouge, Louisiana reporting on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued Tuesday.

“Mom Given Death Penalty for Killing Young Daughter Wins Relief”: Bernie Pazanowski of Bloomberg Law had this report (subscription required for full access) on an unpublished per curiam decision that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued in July 2019.

On Tuesday, a sharply divided en banc Fifth Circuit issued this 115-page decision on rehearing denying federal habeas relief by a vote of 10-to-7.

“Strip Clubs Violated Models’ Publicity Rights by Misusing Photos”: Bloomberg Law has this report (subscription required for full access) on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued Tuesday.

“2nd Circuit upholds NY state rules restricting ballot access”: Larry Neumeister of The Associated Press has this report.

And at Ballot Access News, Richard Winger has a post titled “Massive Ballot Access Defeat in New York.”

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

“Warrantless Digital Device Searches at U.S. Border Ruled Valid”: Andrea Vittorio of Bloomberg Law has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued Tuesday.

Update: In other coverage, Thomas F. Harrison of Courthouse News Service reports that “1st Circuit Upholds Border Searches of Phones and Laptops; The ruling says customs officials can rummage through highly personal information even absent any reason to think their owner did something wrong.”

“Harvard Law Review elects its first Muslim president”: Sahar Akbarzai of CNN has this report.

“The Ideological Status-Quo in Supreme Court COVID-19 Litigation”: Adam Feldman has this post at his new endeavor, The Juris Lab.

“In-person courses and conferences aren’t in most judges’ 2021 plans, survey suggests”: Michelle Werdann of the National Judicial College has this report on the results of a survey that organization conducted recently.

“CIA Can Shield Records on Syrian Rebel Funding; The CIA can reject a public records request seeking information on U.S. payments to Syrian rebel forces because a tweet from former President Trump didn’t officially acknowledge such records exist”: Brad Kutner of Courthouse News Service has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued Tuesday.

District court’s dismissal of action without prejudice gives rise to an appellate tangle at the D.C. Circuit: A divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued this decision Tuesday.

“The Seventh Circuit on Guerrero-Lasprilla & Cancellation of Removal; The Seventh Circuit suggested (but didn’t hold) that Guerrero-Lasprilla applies in the cancellation-of-removal context”: Bryan Lammon has this post at his “final decisions” blog.

“Twitter to uphold permanent ban against Trump, even if he were to run for office again”: Haley Messenger of NBC News has this report.

“8th Circuit affirms lawyer’s conviction and sentence for porn copyright scheme”: Caroline Spiezio of Reuters has this report (subscription required for full access) on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued today.

“Pornographer Larry Flynt, who got his start in Dayton, dies at 78”: Jen Balduf of The Dayton Daily News has this report.

And Dan Horn of The Cincinnati Enquirer has an article headlined “Larry Flynt: ‘King of Smut’ and unlikely free-speech champion dead at 78.”

“What Is Incitement? Its Meaning May Differ in a Court Than in an Impeachment Trial; The Supreme Court has placed strict First Amendment limits on incitement charges in court; But many legal scholars say they do not apply in impeachment trials.” Adam Liptak of The New York Times has this report.

“Ninth Circuit Revives Beef Over PF Chang’s ‘Krab Mix'”: Martin Macias Jr of Courthouse News Service has this report on an unpublished ruling that a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued yesterday.

“Lin Wood doubles down on attacking Pence, Roberts; In a court filing, the Atlanta lawyer again brought up bizarre, unsubstantiated allegations amid a bid to drive him off a libel suit”: Josh Gerstein of Politico has this report. You can view the affidavit at this link.

“Biden Administration Backs ACA at Top Court, Flipping Trump’s Stance”: Greg Stohr of Bloomberg News has this report.

Adam Liptak of The New York Times reports that “Biden Administration Urges Supreme Court to Uphold Affordable Care Act; In a letter to the court in a pending case, the Justice Department disavowed the Trump administration’s challenge to the law.”

Robert Barnes of The Washington Post reports that “Biden administration tells Supreme Court Obamacare is constitutional, should be saved.”

Jess Bravin of The Wall Street Journal reports that “Biden Administration Asks Supreme Court to Reject Challenge to Affordable Care Act; A decision on case, argued in November, is pending before the high court.”

Lawrence Hurley of Reuters reports that “Biden administration asks U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Obamacare law.”

Pete Williams of NBC News reports that “Justice Department switches sides, urging Supreme Court to uphold Obamacare; Texas and 17 other GOP-dominated states urged the court in November to rule that Obamacare’s individual mandate is unconstitutional.”

Ariane de Vogue of CNN reports that “Biden administration asks Supreme Court to save Obamacare, flipping Trump arguments.”

And John Kruzel of The Hill reports that “Biden administration urges Supreme Court to uphold ObamaCare.”

You can access today’s letter to the U.S. Supreme Court from Deputy Solicitor General Edwin S. Kneedler at this link.

“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.”