The U.S. Supreme Court issued its orders list from the pre-Thanksgiving conference. No new cases were taken for full briefing and argument. The court denied certiorari in Reynard v. United States, No. 07-5195, a challenge to DNA testing of federal prisoners. The Ninth Circuit opinion is here. CJLF's briefs in two companion cases are here and here.

The Court also turned down the case of Arthur v. King, No. 07-397, in which an Alabama death row inmate decided that he needed some additional DNA testing 25 years after the killing and five days before the state set an execution date. The Eleventh Circuit denied the claim. "The evidence which he seeks is the same evidence that was considered by the district court during his habeas corpus petition and which will not clearly exonerate him." "There was no justification for Arthur’s failure to bring his request for physical evidence for DNA testing earlier to allow sufficient time for full adjudication on the merits of this claim." AP reports here.

Lyle Denniston at SCOTUSblog has this post on other certiorari denials, including search as a condition of welfare, police officer immunity, and a faith-based program for "troubled youth."

The Court summarily affirmed a three-judge district court's rejection of a voting rights challenge in Alabama.