Federal appeals court upholds asylum based on "kinship ties" News
Federal appeals court upholds asylum based on "kinship ties"

[JURIST] In a landmark ruling, the US Ninth Circuit Cout of Appeals held Friday that a family unit can be "a protected social group" under federal asylum law. The court supported the refugee claim of a South African family [opinion, PDF] persecuted for a relative's racist and abusive treatment against recommendations by the US Justice Department [official website]. Michele and David Thomas and their children fled to the US in 1998 after being attacked for the actions of David's father, "Boss Ronnie", who physically and verbally abused his black employees. An immigration judge previously denied the family's request for asylum [US Citizenship and Immigration Services backgrounder] since they did not meet any of the original five grounds set out under US law for refugee status – being persecuted because of "race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion." The Los Angeles Times has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.