Setting the stage for a new  challenge to the U.S. government’s use of a prison in Afghanistan to hold detainees who had been captured outside that country, the D.C. Circuit Court has told lawyers for three prisoners there that they may offer new evidence to a federal judge in a renewed test of their captivity.  [...]... Read More »»»

Yesterday and today, a number of commentators responded to Adam Liptak’s weekend piece on the Roberts Court (which Erin covered in yesterday’s round-up.)  ACSBlog recaps the piece, while Ed Whelan of the NRO’s Bench Memos blog criticizes Liptak’s article, which he characterizes as “likely to mislead the reader.”  At Cato @ Liberty, Ilya Shapiro also analyzes Liptak’s article – [...]... Read More »»»

The Supreme Court on Monday released the first of its summer orders lists, made up of routine actions, including denials of stays or bail and denials of rehearing petitions.  It is expected there will be two more such lists during the Court’s summer recess.  The new Term begins Oct. 4.... Read More »»»

This post is a round-up of weekend news and commentary about the Court.  A round-up of coverage from today will appear tomorrow morning.Adam Liptak has two new features on the Court in yesterday’s New York Times.  In the longer one, he reports on a recent analysis by political scientists who conduct empirical research on the [...]... Read More »»»

The Court is in recess for the summer, and is expected to return on October 4 for the first oral argument of October Term 2010.The reply brief is due Wednesday, July 28 in Los Angeles County v. Humphries (09-350).  The respondents’ briefs are due Friday, July 30 in both Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. [...]... Read More »»»

A full-time position is coming available beginning in August: Firm Manager of Howe & Russell / Special Assistant to Tom Goldstein / Staff Member of SCOTUSblog.com.To apply, please send a cover letter, résumé, transcript (either official or unofficial), and unedited writing sample (of approximately five pages) to achristensen@howerussell.com and aschlossman@akingump.com as soon as possible.We will accept [...]... Read More »»»

Seeking the same favorable constitutional treatment that corporations and labor unions now have when they try to influence federal elections, five  individuals who have formed a group known as “SpeechNow” on Friday asked the Supreme Court to spell out the full implications of its controversial ruling in January in the Citizens United case.   The new petition in SpeechNow.org [...]... Read More »»»

In a new plea that U.S. law should not reach overseas, British American Tobacco Co. on Friday asked the Supreme Court to order a second look by lower courts at the federal anti-racketeering law’s scope.  That law was used in the federal government’s massive lawsuit against nearly the entire tobacco industry, including the British firm [...]... Read More »»»

Today, the blogosphere and news media continued to report on the anticipated outcome of the upcoming Senate floor vote on Elena Kagan’s confirmation. The New York Times’ Caucus blog reports that Indiana Senator Richard Lugar has just become the second Republican to publicly back Kagan, and the Boston Globe also has coverage of Senator Lugar’s [...]... Read More »»»

Without waiting until it writes new rules to carry out the Supreme Court’s controversial January ruling lifting campaign finance curbs,  the Federla Election Commission on Thursday approved formation of two new groups that will raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to try to directly influence congressional elections this year. One of the new groups [...]... Read More »»»

The Ssupreme Court on Thursday named a New York City lawyer and former Supreme Court clerk to argue the side of a criminal sentencing case that the federal government normally would defend.   The government, however, has sided with the prison inmate challenging his sentence in Pepper v. U.S. (09-6822) — a case granted review near [...]... Read More »»»

Yesterday, Senator Richard Lugar of Indiana became the second Republican to announce that he will vote in favor of Elena Kagan’s confirmation.  In so doing, he joins Senator Lindsey Graham, who voted for Kagan when the Senate Judiciary Committee endorsed her nomination on Tuesday.  Roll Call, Warren Richey of the Christian Science Monitor, and Julie [...]... Read More »»»

Former Canadian and U.S. media magnate Conrad M. Black, who won at least a partial victory in the Supreme Court in his criminal case in June, was ordered released “forthwith” from a federal prison in Florida on Wednesday, with bail set at $2 million.  His 78-month prison sentence — he has so far served more [...]... Read More »»»

Yesterday the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to endorse Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court. The final tally was thirteen “aye”s to six “nay”s, with Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) joining the committee’s twelve Democrats to vote in Kagan’s favor. Today’s editions of USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Christian Science [...]... Read More »»»

By a vote of thirteen to six, the Senate Judiciary Committee today approved Elena Kagan’s nomination to the Supreme Court. With the exception of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who voted for Kagan, the vote hewed closely to party lines. Coverage is available at SCOTUSblog, the Los Angeles Times, CBS News, NBC News, AFP, The Caucus [...]... Read More »»»