Religion & Law

Obama: Unemployment likely to keep ticking up

Posted on July 14, 2009
Associated Press: "President Barack Obama on Tuesday declined to predict how high unemployment will climb but made clear he expects it to keep worsening for a while as hiring lags behind other signs of economic recovery."

British conductor and wife die in Swiss suicide clinic

Posted on July 14, 2009
Associated Press: "British maestro Edward Downes, who conducted the BBC Philharmonic and the Royal Opera but struggled in recent years as his hearing and sight failed, has died with his wife at an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland. He was 85 and she was 74...

Obama wants Senate health bill quickly

Posted on July 14, 2009
Associated Press: "Moving forcefully on his top domestic priority, Obama told Sen. Max Baucus he wants legislation ready by week's end in the Finance Committee that Baucus chairs, according to numerous Democratic officials. These officials said Obama made his wishes known directly to Baucus, D-Mont...

Court puts brakes on oppressive speech code at L.A. City College

Posted on July 14, 2009
"A federal court Monday granted a motion filed by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom to halt enforcement of a Los Angeles City College District policy that violates student free speech rights."

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Kenya concern over contraceptive pill popping

Posted on July 14, 2009
Anne Mawathe reports in the BBC: "The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya has also voiced concerned about long-term use of the e-pill. Besides side-effects, like nausea, heavy bleeding and cramps, regular use of the emergency contraception may cause infertility and in some instances increase the risk of cancer...

?Episcopal Church moves to end ban on gay bishops?

Posted on July 14, 2009
Laurie Goodstein reports in the New York Times: "The bishops of the Episcopal Chresurch voted at the church?s convention on Monday to open ?any ordained ministry? to gay men and lesbians, a move that could effectively undermine a moratorium on ordaining gay bishops that the church passed at its last convention three years ago...

Bill Clinton backs same-sex ?marriage?

Posted on July 14, 2009
Michael Tracey reports in The Nation: "After speaking at the Campus Progress National Conference in Washington, DC, on July 8, the former president was asked if he supported same-sex marriage. Clinton, in a departure from past statements, replied in the affirmative...

Utah GOP leaders not ready to weigh in on marriage fight

Posted on July 14, 2009
Bob Bernick Jr. reports in the Deseret News: "Utah Republican leaders stand strongly behind traditional marriage but say it is too early to decide whether the state should jump into federal court opposing a lawsuit that seeks to overturn the national Defense of Marriage Act...

Study: Love not enough to ?keep a marriage?

Posted on July 14, 2009
Reuters: "A couple's age, previous relationships and even whether they smoke or not are factors that influence whether their marriage is going to last, according to a study by researchers from the Australian National University."

The Sotomayor Confirmation Hearings

Posted on July 14, 2009
Day Two of the Sonia Sotomayor confirmation hearings.

Sotomayor and international law

Posted on July 14, 2009
Collin Levy writing in the Wall Street Journal: "Like several of the judges on the left branch of the court, Judge Sotomayor has said she favors a broader consideration of foreign and international law in U.S. judicial opinions. While she rarely had occasion to dip into foreign sources during her time on the Second Circuit, she recently went out of her way to embrace the concept and its applications by the high court...

Arizona governor approves abortion constraints

Posted on July 14, 2009
Matthew Benson, Casey Newton and Amy B Wang report in the Arizona Republic: "Gov. Jan Brewer on Monday signed into law tight new restrictions on access to abortion in Arizona, imposing a 24-hour waiting period on women seeking the procedure and requiring that minors first receive written, notarized consent from a parent or guardian...

Sotomayor calls abortion rights ?settled law?

Posted on July 14, 2009
Associated Press: "Supreme Court aspirant Sonia Sotomayor says she considers the question of abortion rights "settled law" and says there is a constitutional right to privacy."

?WV lawmakers to get both sides on gay marriage?

Posted on July 14, 2009
Associated Press: "The state Family Policy Council and the national Alliance Defense Fund both plan to weigh in Tuesday at a meeting of a joint legislative committee studying the issue."

The Silent FOCA: Vast Abortion expansion slowly coming to light in healthcare package

Posted on July 14, 2009
Kathleen Gilbert reports at LifeSiteNews: "Pro-life groups and lawmakers are continuing to raise the alarm over the healthcare reform package President Obama is aggressively pushing through both the House and the Senate. The groups are urging Americans to oppose the healthcare overhaul, as pro-abortion lawmakers are insisting that abortion must be included in the basic healthcare package that all public and private insurers will eventually be required to cover...

?London: Christian teacher re-instated after row over gay sex education?

Posted on July 14, 2009
Independent Catholic News: "A senior London teacher, suspended and threatened with the sack for expressing his Christian beliefs at work will be back at work next term. Kwabena Peat, 54, was suspended after he complained that a staff training day was used to promote homosexual rights, and to marginalise and label those who disagreed with homosexual practice...

?El Paso gay activists want new police training?

Posted on July 14, 2009
Associated Press: "The request made during Tuesday's City Council meeting comes about a week after five gay men were asked to leave a popular taco shop after two of them kissed."

Houston schools may ban ?sexting?

Posted on July 14, 2009
UPI: "Students in the Houston public schools caught sexting -- sending sexual images via cell phone -- could soon face punishment, officials say."

?Mass. transgender equity bill fuels bathroom fight?

Posted on July 14, 2009
Associated Press: "'The First Amendment mandates that no individual should be required to affirm, in act, word, or deed, that a man is a woman, or a woman is a man, against their sincerely held religious beliefs,' Tracey said. 'Yet this is precisely what (the bill) will do...

WV: ?For an amendment, against an amendment?

Posted on July 14, 2009
MetroNews reports: "'There's been nine states that have had their courts strike down their marriage laws and, basically, impose a same sex marriage on the entire state so the only way, really, to prevent that is with state Constitutional Amendments which 30 states have done already,' Lorence says...

Human rights court case could be Europe?s Roe v. Wade: ADF Attorney

Posted on July 14, 2009
Hilary White reports at LifeSiteNews: "'This case could be the Roe v. Wade of Europe, so its importance should not be underestimated,' said Roger Kiska of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), the public-interest legal alliance that is acting to protect the existing law...

European Court of Human Rights moves key abortion case to Grand Chamber

Posted on July 14, 2009
"'No one should be allowed to decide that an innocent life is worthless. Ireland?s constitutional amendment defending innocent life is under attack, and now the stakes have just gotten higher,' [Kiska] said. 'With the case moving to the Grand Chamber, the ramifications of the decision that is eventually reached in the case are massive...

Jordan Lorence and Hoppy Kercheval discuss WV marriage amendment

Posted on July 14, 2009
ADF Attorney Jordan Lorence appeared on Hoppy Kercheval's radio show to discuss a West Virginia constitutional marriage amendment. The mp3 is online here. It runs about nine minutes.

Anti-religion group sues to stop engravings at Capitol Visitor Center

Posted on July 14, 2009
Madison's WKOW reports: "Madison-based Freedom From Religion is seeking to block the words "In God We Trust" from making it's way to the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington."

US Religious Freedom body ?alarmed? over Iraq bombings

Posted on July 14, 2009
Paolo Gallini reports at Religious Intelligence: "The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed its alarm at the recent spate of bombings of churches in Baghdad and Mosul and called on the Iraqi government to provide protection to all of the country?s citizens, especially its vulnerable Christian minority...

NH gov weighing bill to prohibit human smuggling

Posted on July 14, 2009
Associated Press: "Gov. John Lynch has until midnight Wednesday to decide whether to sign a bill that prohibits human trafficking in New Hampshire."

Indiana: New Haven mayor wants ability to regulate SOBs

Posted on July 14, 2009
Kevin Leininger reports in The News-Sentinel: "McDonald is expected to introduce an ordinance at tonight?s City Council meeting that would mark the beginning ? but not end ? of renewed efforts to define and regulate sexually oriented businesses."

7th Circuit upholds Illinois Parental Notice Act

Posted on July 14, 2009
"As a result of the court's decision in Zbaraz v. Hartigan, for the first time Illinois law will entitle parents to notification before their minor daughters are taken for abortions."

Winslow, ME: Planners to design SOB ordinance

Posted on July 14, 2009
Scott Monroe reports in the Morning Sentinel: "Town Manager Michael Heavener said he brought the topic before the council because he's received inquiries from several residents about whether Winslow has such an ordinance that regulates sex-oriented businesses...

MA abortion protest law doesn?t limit free speech, court rules

Posted on July 14, 2009
LifeNewsa: "Tim Chandler, legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, responded to the ruling and told the Boston Globe pro-life advocates "shouldn't be penalized for expressing their beliefs.' He said ADF and the pro-life advocates are evaluating the 'next legal step,' which would likely involve appealing the decision to the Supreme Court...

Bloggers, promote your law blog by nominating your blog for inclusion in USLaw.com's Law Blog Directory and RSS Reader. Benefits described.