Detainee bill agreement [US Senate – White House] News
Detainee bill agreement [US Senate – White House]

Agreement upon Common Article 3, September 21, 2006 [military commissions legislation language agreed to by Senate GOP leaders and the White House that would make the President the arbiter of the meaning of the Geneva Conventions for the United States, bar litigants from invoking the Conventions in habeas or civil actions in the federal courts, set out a series of specified instances of prohibited "grave breaches" deemed to fall under Common Article 3]. Read the full text of the agreement [PDF]. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here. See also the Agreement on Classified Information [PDF, allowing classified evidence to used against charged detainees in military commission trials, as long as a summary is provided to defendants].

THIS DAY @ LAW

Connecticut adopts first modern constitution

On January 14, 1639, the first written governmental constitution in modern history was adopted in the Colony of Connecticut. The Fundamental Orders represented the first time that a government was based upon a written constitution anywhere in the world. Along with the Mayflower Compact, the Fundamental Orders served as bases for the United States Constitution 150 years later, which in turn influenced the development of later constitutions throughout the world. Three hundred and twenty-six years after the original Fundamental Orders were adopted by Connecticut, the modern Constitution of Connecticut was ratified.

Guatemala constitution takes effect

On January 14, 1986, the current constitution of Guatemala took effect.

Read the Spanish-language text of the constitution, as amended in 1993.

First constitution adopted by Connecticut

On January 14, 1639, Connecticut adopted its first constitution, one of the earliest such documents in the American colonies. Review the Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.