Same-sex marriage reference [SC Canada] News
Same-sex marriage reference [SC Canada]

Reference re Same-Sex Marriage, Supreme Court of Canada, December 9, 2004 [ruling that the Canadian federal government has the right to legalize same-sex marriage but declining to rule on the question of whether the traditional definition of marriage is constitutional or not under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms]. Read the judgment here. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

THIS DAY @ LAW

First German spy convicted for World War I espionage in the US

On August 16, 1918, Lothar Witzke was convicted of espionage by a military commission sitting at Ft. Sam Houston, becoming the first German spy convicted by the United States in World War I. Witzke was sentenced to hang, but President Wilson commuted the sentence on May 27, 1920. In 1922 Witzke was pardoned by President Coolidge and deported to Berlin. Learn more about the Mare Island sabotage.

Cyprus gains independence

On August 16, 1960, Cyprus became independent of the United Kingdom. In May 2004, Cyprus became a member of the European Union.
Read the constitution of Cyprus.