US marshals, DOJ arrest 10,000 fugitives in nationwide sweep News
US marshals, DOJ arrest 10,000 fugitives in nationwide sweep

[JURIST] The Justice Department in conjunction with the US Marshals Office [official website] announced Thursday that more than 10,000 fugitives, many wanted for violent crimes, were arrested over the last week as part of a coordinated nationwide effort led by the marshals. Operation Falcon [US Marshals website; factsheet, PDF] involved officers from 960 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies who took part in a concentrated search to coincide with Crime Victim's Rights Week [official website]. More than 150 of those arrested are wanted on murder charges while another 550 were sought on rape or sexual assault charges. The operation was the largest ever in numbers of arrests. Read the DOJ press release. 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.