Alito gets top rating from ABA News
Alito gets top rating from ABA

[JURIST] The American Bar Association (ABA) [group website] on Wednesday announced [ABA materials] that Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito [JURIST news archive] has received a "well-qualified" rating, the highest recommendation given by the ABA to judicial nominees. Alito previously received the "well-qualified" rating in 1990 as a candidate for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals seat he currently holds. Alito's confirmation hearings [JURIST report] before the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin Monday. Read the ABA explanation [PDF] of their Supreme Court nominee investigation process. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

South Africa becomes first country on continent to legalize same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages became legal in South Africa on November 30, 2006 as the country's Civil Union Act, 2006 went into effect, making South Africa the only country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Civil Union Act, 2006.