Latvia bans same-sex marriage News
Latvia bans same-sex marriage

[JURIST] The unicameral Latvian parliament [official website] Thursday overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman, effectively blocking the recognition of same-sex marriage [advocacy website press release]. The amendment infuriatedLatvian gay rights activists [advocacy website press release] who are considering taking their case to the European Court of Human Rights. Latvia [government website], a recent member to the European Union, is known as a progressive democracy, but many people there maintain a conservative view of the family. European nations such as Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands have legalized same-sex marriage in the last five years, while Britain passed a law permitting same-sex civil partnerships earlier this month. Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

First impeachment trial began in US Senate

On December 17, 1798, the US Senate began its first impeachment trial. Senator William Blount of Tennessee, a land speculator, was accused of plotting with England to wrest control of Florida from Spain. The Senate ultimately dismissed the charges for lack of jurisdiction—and, perhaps incidentally, lack of Blount, who had gone to Tennessee and had refused to return to the Senate for trial. Read more on the trial of William Blount.

Simon Bolivar dies

On December 17, 1830, South American revolutionary Simon Bolivar died in Colombia. During his lifetime, Bolivar led successful revolutions against Spanish colonial rule throughout South America. His efforts led to the independence of the modern-day nations of Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador and Bolivia, a nation named in his honor.