France high court rules same-sex marriage invalid News
France high court rules same-sex marriage invalid

[JURIST] The French Cour de Cassation [official website, in French] held [judgment; press release, in French] Tuesday that same-sex marriages [JURIST news archive] are not valid under French law and that marriage can only be between a man and a woman. The case arose in 2004 when Stephane Charpin and Bertrand Charpentier were married [JURIST report], after which both a local court and intermediate appeals court ruled that the marriage was invalid. State lawyers argued that it was not an issue for the courts to decide, but rather was a question to be answered by parliament. Bloomberg has more.

The decision came on the same day that Pope Benedict XVI [official website] declared that the Catholic Church's stance against gay marriage is "non-negotiable." The pope also said that all Catholic politicians must oppose it, stating that they should "introduce laws inspired by values grounded in human nature." Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emporer

On December 25, 800 A.D., Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome, Italy. During his lifetime, Charlemagne united most of Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Western Roman Empire. He is credited with spreading the rule of law throughout his dominions as well as starting the French and German monarchies.

President Andrew Johnson pardoned Confederates

On December 25, 1868, President Andrew Johnson granted an unconditional pardon to all who had been involved in "insurrection or rebellion" during the US Civil War.