Blog Round-Up – Thursday, November 3rd

In nomination news:

Here is Judge Alito’s student Note from the Yale Law Journal. The Note analyzes the Supreme Court’s decisions in the so-called “release time” cases. These cases dealt with the question of whether public schools violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment by allowing students to take religious education classes during school hours.
The First Amendment Center has this post on Alito as a government lawyer.
Think Progress has this post on what some of Judge Alito’s colleagues think of him.
Here is Underneath Their Robes on Alito’s sense of humor.
Concurring Opinions has this post on why Congress should not subpeona Alito’s clerks.

In non-nomination news:

Election Law Blog has this post on the fact that the Supreme Court will hear a major campaign finance case on January 17. January 17 has now been announced as the target date for a Judicary Committee to vote on the nomination of Judge Alito for Justice O’Connor’s seat.
Oona Hathaway, former O’connor clerk and Yale Law School professor has posted an essay about the Alito nomination, Meiers withdrawal, CIA secret/black prisons revelations, and their impact on Justice O’Connor, on Balkinization.
Col. Will Gunn from U.S. Air Force just posted this essay at the National Institute for Military Justice site called “Why the Supreme Court Needs to Hear Hamdan Now.”
Admiral John Hutson (Retired, U.S. Navy) & Deborah Pearlstein (Director, Human Rights First and former Stevens clerk), posted this essay yesterday titled, “Time to Decide on Hamdan,” on the ACSBlog.
Here is a transcript of a recent interview with Justice Kennedy. According to the Volokh Conspiracy Justice Kennedy discusses a wide range of topics, including his childhood, being a young judge, becoming a Justice, deciding cases, stare decisis, interpreting the Constitution, and the role of the Supreme Court.