“Challenge to vaccine-or-test mandate could upend already shaky precedent on agency deference; Vaccine opponents have so far left the Supreme Court’s shadow docket empty-handed, but a nationwide mandate for large businesses offers a different question on precedent that has long disquieted several justices”: Kelsey Reichmann of Courthouse News Service has this report.

“The Supreme Court has a fresh chance to rein in police lawlessness”: Columnist George F. Will has this essay online at The Washington Post.

“Supreme Court cases over vaccine mandates are really about whether government can protect us”: Columnist Ruth Marcus has this op-ed in today’s edition of The Washington Post.

“To uphold the rule of law, US Supreme Court must act in Texas death penalty case”: Former D.C. Circuit Judge Kenneth W. Starr has this essay online at The Hill.

“Biden to nominate SC Judge Michelle Childs, a USC law grad, to influential DC Circuit”: Maayan Schechter of The State of Columbia, South Carolina has this report.

Nick Reynolds of The Post and Courier of Charleston, South Carolina reports that “SC District Judge Michelle Childs picked by Biden to fill DC appeals court seat.”

Tia Mitchell of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has an article incorrectly headlined “Federal appeals court in Atlanta to get its first Black judge.”

Colleen Long of The Associated Press has an article headlined “40 federal judges confirmed in 2021; Biden nominates 2 more.”

Nate Raymond of Reuters reports that “Biden nominates 2 appellate judges, including Supreme Court contender.”

Timothy H.J. Nerozzi of Fox News reports that “Biden appoints second Black woman to DC Circuit, a known stepping stone to the Supreme Court; Judge Michelle Childs is now one step closer to the Supreme Court.”

Harper Neidig of The Hill reports that “Biden nominates South Carolina judge to powerful DC Circuit.”

And Kelsey Reichmann of Courthouse News Service reports that “Biden caps year full of judicial appointments with two more nominees; The president continues to focus on diversifying the federal bench as he closes out the year with two additional nominations.”

Yesterday, the White House issued a news release titled “President Biden Names Twelfth Round of Judicial Nominees.”