But the Masons went back to the council with a new application, citing the National Planning Framework and its reference to regenerating redundant farm buildings.

BBC: Willand smallholders win right to build home

Of particular interest to the confirmation hearings will be Judge Sotomayor's favorable reference in the ACLU speech to the Supreme Court's reasoning in two recent cases citing foreign and international law: Roper v.

WSJ: Sotomayor and International Law

This was, of course, a none too oblique reference to last week's controversy when the First Minister was obliged to apologise for citing an external letter which turned out to be a draft written by the FM's own adviser.

BBC: From hand-kissing to face-skelping