“Dems picked the wrong senator for Senate Judiciary leadership; They need a fighter on the committee, not a go-alonger”: Columnist Jennifer Rubin has this essay online at The Washington Post.

“NC Supreme Court blocks state from certifying Riggs as the winner in high court election”: Kyle Ingram of The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina has this report.

Patrick Marley and Colby Itkowitz of The Washington Post report that “GOP-led N.C. Supreme Court blocks finalizing election for Democratic justice; Justice Allison Riggs (D) eked out a 734-vote victory over Jefferson Griffin, but the Republican challenged about 60,000 ballots cast by voters who have not provided election officials with their driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.”

Will Doran of WRAL reports that “NC Supreme Court orders elections board not to certify Riggs-Griffin court race; The decision was 5-1, with all five Republican justices ruling in Jefferson Griffin’s favor and Democratic Justice Anita Earls dissenting; Democratic Justice Allison Riggs has recused herself from the deliberations.”

Rusty Jacobs of WUNC reports that “Federal court considers appeal, state Supreme Court issues stay in battle for NC Supreme Court seat.”

Lynn Bonner of NC Newsline reports that “Republicans on the NC Supreme Court block certification of the Democratic incumbent’s election.”

The Carolina Journal has reports headlined “NC Supreme Court grants stay, blocks certification of election between Griffin, Riggs” and “Elections board asks 4th Circuit to order Myers to take back NC Supreme Court dispute.”

And Sydney Haulenbeek of Courthouse News Service reports that “North Carolina Supreme Court halts election certification in associate justice race; The election for associate justice will remain unfinalized for the moment as Judge Jefferson Griffin’s request for legal intervention in the race processes through multiple courts.”

“Biden Administration Moves to Halt Sept. 11 Plea Deal; Justice Department lawyers are defending the defense secretary’s decision to back out of the agreement that avoided a death penalty trial, moving the question from military to civilian courts”: Carol Rosenberg of The New York Times has this report.

“Abortion Pills Prescribed by Pharmacists Are Newest Effort in Abortion Fight; Washington State’s program is the first, but other states are expected to try allowing pharmacists to prescribe the pills to counter growing efforts to curtail abortion access”: Pam Belluck of The New York Times has this report.

“Federal judge sends Republican challenge of 60,000 ballots back to NC Supreme Court”: Kyle Ingram of The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina has this report.

Sydney Haulenbeek of Courthouse News Service reports that “North Carolina Supreme Court may ultimately decide its own next justice; The North Carolina Supreme Court will now weigh a judge’s request to throw out 60,000 ballots cast in the race for an associate justice seat.”

Will Doran of WRAL reports that “NC Supreme Court could now decide who should win the election for a seat on the court; After incumbent Democratic Justice Allison Riggs appeared to defeat Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court, Griffin has been seeking to throw out 60,000 ballots; His case could now be heard by the same court he’s trying to join.”

Rusty Jacobs of WUNC has reports headlined “Federal judge punts disputed judicial race back to North Carolina’s conservative state Supreme Court” and “Griffin, trailing in race, tries to make North Carolina Supreme Court election a matter of states’ rights.”

And Lynn Bonner of NC Newsline reports that “A federal judge sends NC Republican Judge Griffin’s contested voters case back to state court; Board of Elections certifies results of remaining state legislative contests.”

“Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice speaks out on controversial firings on first week in office”: Samantha Boyd of KARK has this report.

“Jimmy Blacklock named new chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court; Blacklock replaces Nathan Hecht, the longest serving justice on the high court; Gov. Greg Abbott also appointed his general counsel, James Sullivan, to the bench”: Eleanor Klibanoff of The Texas Tribune has this report.

“Jimmy Carter never had a SCOTUS pick. He still transformed the judiciary. President Jimmy Carter appointed more judges to the federal bench than any other president has done in a single term.” Gillian Brockell of The Washington Post has this report.