Image by riacale via Flickr One of the interesting points about American government is the balance in the federal constitution between democratic and non-democratic institutions. It is, as was intended, a series of checks and balances on the power of too much democracy. The Congress, the most democratic of the countries institutions at the federal […]
Prop 8 appeal is in
August 6, 2010 by
Happening today on the left coast: Judge Walker’s Proposition 8 decision was appealed. The backers of California’s Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage have started their appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of the trial judge’s ruling nullifying that ban under the federal Constitution. The notice of appeal was filed right after the ruling was […]
Proposition 8 overturned; next stop, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals
August 4, 2010 by
Just moments ago, the Judge Vaughn Walker of the US District Court for the Northern District of California overturned Proposition 8, declaring it unconstitutional. And, predictably per their promise, the legal team defending Prop 8 has sought a stay pending appeal. In court papers filed Tuesday night, lawyers for the Proposition 8 defense team asked […]
Arizona appeals, but is the law misbegotten?
July 29, 2010 by
Image by Helen K via Flickr True to its promise, Arizona has appealed Judge Bolton’s ruling. And the local sheriff promises to arrest protesters and put them in pink underwear…as if they weren’t already wearing it. “My deputies will arrest them and put them in pink underwear,” Arpaio said, referring to one of his odd […]
News Round-up: Warren Jeffs Edition
July 28, 2010 by
Image via Wikipedia Yesterday, Warren Jeffs‘ conviction was overturned and the Utah Supreme Court ordered a retrial, and today the world is all a-twitter with the case. It turns out that polygamy is just as interesting to news readers today as it was in the 1890s. Texas and federal prosecutors are waiting their turns to […]
Polygamist Warren Jeffs’ rape conviction overturned
July 27, 2010 by
Image via Wikipedia In case you’ve been following the prosecution of polygamist prophet Warren Jeffs, here’s the latest: his rape conviction has been overturned due to erroneous jury instructions. This doesn’t necessarily mean that Jeffs’ legal troubles are over–far from it. The Utah Supreme Court, which handed down its ruling unanimously, ordered a new trial. […]
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