New York airline passenger rights ruling [2nd Circuit] News
New York airline passenger rights ruling [2nd Circuit]

Air Transport Association of America, Inc., v. Andrew Cuomo, et al., US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, March 25, 2008 [ruling that federal law preempts state airline regulation and overturning a New York law requiring airlines to provide passengers on seriously delayed flights with basic amenities, ventilations, and waste removal]. Read the full text of the opinion [PDF]. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

THIS DAY @ LAW

First gay civil union law goes into effect

On October 1, 1989, the Registered Partnership Act went into effect in Denmark. It was the first law in the world that allowed civil unions between homosexual couples. Read a report on the world's first civil unions from the New York Times.

Chief Justice Rehnquist born

On October 1, 1924, William Rehnquist, late Chief Justice of the United States, was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Read remarks by President Ronald Reagan at the swearing-in ceremony for Chief Justice Rehnquist (joined by new Associate Justice Antonin Scalia).