The state is arguing that it has the authority to dispose of the land, representing more than a quarter of the Hawaiian Islands. But the state's own Office of Hawaiian Affairs argues that the lands must be held until claims of native Hawaiians have been resolved.

The Hawaii Supreme Court agreed that the claims had to be resolved.

Some legal analysts say a ruling against the state of Hawaii could set a precedent for other native populations to make claims to lands they once inhabited.

The justices, in an order Monday, are letting stand Robert Sorich's conviction and 46-month prison term. Sorich and the others were found guilty of skirting laws that ban political city hiring.

The federal appeals court in Chicago earlier upheld the convictions. The court rejected defense arguments that the men couldn't be convicted of criminal fraud because they didn't take bribes or kickbacks.

Justice Antonin Scalia said he voted to accept the appeal and decide the case.

The case is Sorich v. U.S., 08-410.

The court rejected a recommendation to disbar Douglas Crawford. Crawford admitted to 65 professional conduct violations primarily involving misappropriation of client funds. In April, the State Bar of Nevada disciplinary panel unanimously recommended Crawford be disbarred.

The court said it opted for a lesser punishment based on mitigating factors, including Crawford's good character, reputation, remorse, and "mental disabilities of depression and gambling addiction."

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit accusing Decatur Hotels of exploiting foreign workers it hired after the August 2005 storm scattered many of its employees.

The suit claims Decatur Hotels violated the Fair Labor Standards Act when it refused to reimburse foreign workers for recruitment, transportation and visa expenses. Decatur's foreign workers spent up to $5,000 apiece to relocate to New Orleans.

A three-judge panel concluded the law doesn't require an employer to cover any of those expenses.

The judge said last week she was inclined to throw out those results unless someone could directly testify to collecting the slugger's urine samples. The likeliest candidate to be able to do so is Bonds' former trainer, Greg Anderson. A lawyer for Anderson has said his client won't testify at Bonds' upcoming trial.

In a court filing Monday, prosecutors included snippets of Bonds' grand jury testimony saying Anderson collected the samples. It also included testimony from a former BALCO executive saying Anderson dropped off urine samples labeled with Bonds' name.

Bonds is charged with lying to a grand jury about alleged steroid use.

Court officials compiled their first ever tally of bail jumpers in the city at the request of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Before the newspaper raised the issue, the magnitude of the problem was unknown. Court officials initially told the Inquirer that only $2 million was owed.

A criminal defendant in Philadelphia is usually freed after paying 10 percent of the bail. Defendants who show up for trial get that money back, minus a small fee.

People who don't show up forfeit the 10 percent and owe the remaining 90 percent, but the city has made little effort to collect that money.