“In Trump’s Washington, Prosecutors Can’t Count on Grand Juries to Take Their Side; In the past two weeks, prosecutors in the capital have failed to secure indictments in at least three cases, an acceleration of the problems the Justice Department has had with grand juries”: Alan Feuer and Michael S. Schmidt of The New York Times have this report.

“The Supreme Court could deal a death blow to civil rights precedent”: Law professor Erwin Chemerinsky has this essay online at The Los Angeles Times.

“NC Supreme Court to hear Stein’s challenge of laws limiting his appointment power”: Kyle Ingram of The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina has this report.

“Not With a Bang, But a Whimper: Officials Leave the Justice Department”: Joyce Vance has this post at her “Civil Discourse” Substack site.

“Zoo Elephants Have a Right to Liberty, Group Tells Hawaii’s Top Court; At a private school that counts Barack Obama as an alumnus, the State Supreme Court heard arguments about whether two elephants in the Honolulu Zoo should be released to an animal sanctuary”: Jennifer Sinco Kelleher of The New York Times has this report.

Michael Brestovansky of Aloha State Daily reports that “Elephant rights go to Hawai‘i Supreme Court; Hundreds in attendance in case over whether Honolulu Zoo elephants Mari and Vaigai are entitled to human rights.”

And in commentary, online at The Los Angeles Times, Athar Minallah and law professor Kristen Stilt have an essay titled “Why captive elephants deserve their day in court.”

“Trump’s Supreme Court majority faces looming threat after Dem Senate takeover: ‘Stuck’; Justices Thomas and Alito, both in their late 70s, face pressure over whether to retire before Republicans lose control.” Ashley J. DiMella of Fox News has this report.

And in commentary, online at Bloomberg Opinion, law professor Stephen L. Carter has an essay titled “Alito’s Retirement Plans Are His to Make.”

“A new Supreme Court justice signed the petition to repeal Prop 4; Now the plaintiffs want him off their case; Lawyers argue Justice Michael Menssen’s signature on the repeal initiative creates an appearance of bias, say he should step aside”: Robert Gehrke of The Salt Lake Tribune has this report.