Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona has delivered a small Christmas present to AUSA's, federal-case defense lawyers, and federal judges who deal with collateral review petitions by federal defendants. He added Section 511 to H.R. 660, the Court Security Improvement Act, to finally put subdivision designations on the paragraphs of the ungainly 28 USC § 2255. He notes at page S15790 of the Congressional Record that this is for convenience of reference and not a substantive change in the law. The House agreed to the Senate amendments yesterday, and the bill is headed to the White House.

The bill also moves one circuit judge seat from DC to the Ninth, to be filled by the next President. Maybe President Kucinich will nominate Stephen Yagman. Oops, sorry, this is Christmas, not Halloween.