“The Mystery of the Political Assassin: Even in cases like Luigi Mangione’s, the intentions of assassins are dwarfed by the meanings we project onto them.” Margaret Talbot has this essay online at The New Yorker.

“The Liberal Scholars Who Influenced Trump’s Attack on Birthright Citizenship: The President’s executive order took inspiration from an esoteric legal argument from 1985, by two Yale professors; They have some regrets.” Rachel Morris has this essay online at The New Yorker.

“Judicial Notice (11.16.25): ‘I Regret Ever Knowing Him’; A high-powered lawyer’s emails with Epstein, a leading boutique’s hire of a prominent prosecutor, and a Biglaw firm that’s open to innovation.” David Lat has this post at his “Original Jurisdiction” Substack site.

The 2025 Appellate Judges Education Institute Summit in Minneapolis has concluded: It was great seeing so many of my appellate friends there, and the weather far surpassed expectations. I have posted some photos from the event on this blog’s Twitter feed.

Today a speaker asked me what the Summit was like without all the federal judges in attendance, due to the federal government’s now-concluded shutdown. I responded, “Of course, it was so much better,” because I’m just a wiseguy.

The 2026 Appellate Judges Education Institute Summit will be in my hometown of Philadelphia, so hopefully I will see you there!