Wednesday, June 26, 2013

DOMA Donesky! What Does This Mean For "Domestic Partners" and the "Civilly United"?

I'm still digesting the SCOTUS' decisions in the Federal DOMA and California Prop. 8 cases.  The short take-away is that it is probable (though I will never say certain) that the thousand-plus references to the rights/obligations of "spouses",  in Federal laws and regulations, will now include same-sex couples who are "spouses" under the laws of the state in which they contracted a "marriage".   It is not yet clear is whether or not those folks who have a state-recognized relationship which is called something other than "marriage" will fall within that umbrella.

Friday, June 14, 2013

When Should the U.S. Return A Child to a Country In Which Sharia Law Might Be Applied?

The Federal Court of Appeals for New York weighs in on whether a U.S. court must order a child returned to a "country of habitual residence" when that country is a signer, with the U.S. of the Hague Convention on child abduction, but which might possibly apply Sharia law to the adjudication of the custody dispute. Thanks and the usual hat tip to Prof.Volokh.