Court: same-sex marriage is not universal right
Legal World
European nations do not have to allow same-sex marriage, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled, though gay rights groups claimed a partial victory Friday because the court acknowledged growing agreement that their relationships should be recognized in law.
Seven judges at the European court ruled unanimously that two Austrian men denied permission to wed were not covered by the guarantee of the right to marry enshrined in Europe's human rights convention.
The judges acknowledged "an emerging European consensus" that same-sex couples should have legal recognition but said individual states may still decide what form it should take because marriage had "deep-rooted social and cultural connotations which may differ largely from one society to another."
The European Union's 27 member states range from socially liberal countries like Sweden and the Netherlands to religious, conservative nations such as Poland.
Related listings
-
Court to decide if Dutch girl can sail the world
Legal World 06/17/2010A Dutch court is deciding whether a 14-year-old girl should be released from state custody so she can try to become the youngest person to sail solo around the globe.Child welfare authorities are seeking a two-month extension of Laura Dekker's guardi...
-
Taiwan court cuts Chen's jail term to 20 years
Legal World 06/14/2010In a surprise decision, Taiwan's high court Friday cut ex-president Chen Shui-bian's life sentence for corruption to 20 years in jail, but the former leader said he would appeal.The court, which also reduced former first lady Wu Shu-chen's life term ...
-
Guatemala AG ousted amid corruption allegations
Legal World 06/11/2010Guatemala's Constitutional Court has removed the new attorney general amid allegations of corruption. The ruling means Conrado Reyes must hand the reins of the Attorney General's Office back to an interim top prosecutor who was in charge before his n...
New York Commercial Litigation Law Firm - Woods Lonergan PLLC
Founded in 1993 by Managing Partner James F. Woods, Woods Lonergan PLLC has built a strong reputation as a resourceful and industrious firm that provides clients with clear, concise, and straightforward answers to their most challenging legal issues. Partner Lawrence R. Lonergan, who joined the firm in 2008, has been a friend and colleague to Mr. Woods for over 40 years and shares the same business philosophy. Woods Lonergan PLLC’s collective experience and expertise enables the firm to expeditiously and effectively analyze the increasing challenges clients face in an evolving business and legal world, in many instances, avoiding unnecessary time and expense to our clients. Our mission is simple: provide cutting-edge expertise and sound advice in select areas of the law for corporate and business clients. We thrive on providing each client with personalized attention, forceful representation, and a collaborative team effort that embraces collective knowledge.