http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?home The Global Legal Monitor is an online publication from the Law Library of Congress covering legal news and developments worldwide. It is updated frequently and draws on information from the Global Legal Information Network, official national legal publications, and reliable press sources. You can search previous news by searching the archive. en-us http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403570_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 24 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403570_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403566_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403566_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403561_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children,... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403561_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403557_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 18 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403557_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403550_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403550_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403521_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403521_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403479_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 07 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403479_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403474_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403474_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403473_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 01 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403473_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403402_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 15 Nov 2012 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403402_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403342_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403342_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403306_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug.... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 30 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403306_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403268_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 03 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403268_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403258_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 30 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403258_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403249_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 19 Jul 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403249_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403130_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403130_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403074_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403074_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403040_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403040_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403036_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205403036_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402899_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402899_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402853_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 19 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402853_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402833_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402833_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402809_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402809_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402764_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402764_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402739_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402739_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402719_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402719_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402497_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402497_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402425_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402425_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402326_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402326_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402305_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402305_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402186_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402186_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402179_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402179_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402170_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402170_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402140_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402140_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402088_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402088_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402080_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402080_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402060_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402060_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402056_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205402056_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401938_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401938_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401917_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law,... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401917_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401918_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 12 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401918_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401915_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion,... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401915_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401893_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401893_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401890_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401890_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401877_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401877_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401770_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 13 Jan 2010 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401770_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401677_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401677_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401658_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401658_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401583_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401583_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401570_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401570_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401535_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401535_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401536_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401536_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401496_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title.... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401496_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401504_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401504_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401482_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401482_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401351_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401351_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401328_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401328_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401309_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401309_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401290_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 15 May 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401290_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401273_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 06 May 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401273_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401187_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1.... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 06 Apr 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401187_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401146_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama,... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401146_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401144_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401144_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401131_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401131_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401133_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401133_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401032_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 26 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401032_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401020_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 18 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l205401020_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540796_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540796_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540772_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540772_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540726_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 20 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540726_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540725_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 17 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540725_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540683_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540683_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540675_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540675_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540617_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540617_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540618_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540618_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540599_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540599_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540510_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce.... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540510_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540511_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540511_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540509_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540509_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540512_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540512_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540513_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540513_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540569_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540569_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540568_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540568_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540430_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 02 May 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540430_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540431_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 02 May 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540431_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540432_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that provisions in the state's marriage statutes disallowing same-sex marriages violate the California Constitution. The opinion arose from six consolidated proceedings involving the City of... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Fri, 02 May 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540432_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540365_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that provisions in the state's marriage statutes disallowing same-sex marriages violate the California Constitution. The opinion arose from six consolidated proceedings involving the City of The Greek government's plan to introduce a bill that would grant more rights to unmarried couples recently met with strong opposition from the Greek Orthodox Church and from homosexuals. The bill would place "common law" relationships... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EDT http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540365_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540292_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that provisions in the state's marriage statutes disallowing same-sex marriages violate the California Constitution. The opinion arose from six consolidated proceedings involving the City of The Greek government's plan to introduce a bill that would grant more rights to unmarried couples recently met with strong opposition from the Greek Orthodox Church and from homosexuals. The bill would place "common law" relationships On February 10, 2008, Israel's Attorney General Menahem Mazuz (AG) issued a legal opinion that same-sex couples may adopt children. According to a statement issued by the AG, [T]here is no legal reason to prevent a... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540292_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540293_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that provisions in the state's marriage statutes disallowing same-sex marriages violate the California Constitution. The opinion arose from six consolidated proceedings involving the City of The Greek government's plan to introduce a bill that would grant more rights to unmarried couples recently met with strong opposition from the Greek Orthodox Church and from homosexuals. The bill would place "common law" relationships On February 10, 2008, Israel's Attorney General Menahem Mazuz (AG) issued a legal opinion that same-sex couples may adopt children. According to a statement issued by the AG, [T]here is no legal reason to prevent a Law No. 19194 of January 24, 2008 amends article 177 and adds article 181-B to the Criminal Code concerning loss of the "Patria potestas" (parental rights and duties). The new versions of these articles incorporate aggravating... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540293_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540291_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that provisions in the state's marriage statutes disallowing same-sex marriages violate the California Constitution. The opinion arose from six consolidated proceedings involving the City of The Greek government's plan to introduce a bill that would grant more rights to unmarried couples recently met with strong opposition from the Greek Orthodox Church and from homosexuals. The bill would place "common law" relationships On February 10, 2008, Israel's Attorney General Menahem Mazuz (AG) issued a legal opinion that same-sex couples may adopt children. According to a statement issued by the AG, [T]here is no legal reason to prevent a Law No. 19194 of January 24, 2008 amends article 177 and adds article 181-B to the Criminal Code concerning loss of the "Patria potestas" (parental rights and duties). The new versions of these articles incorporate aggravating The Law Commission of India has proposed a reduction in the legal marriageable age for men from 21 to 18 years, while recommending that unions contracted below the age of 16 be considered void. The Commission... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Sun, 02 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540291_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540224_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that provisions in the state's marriage statutes disallowing same-sex marriages violate the California Constitution. The opinion arose from six consolidated proceedings involving the City of The Greek government's plan to introduce a bill that would grant more rights to unmarried couples recently met with strong opposition from the Greek Orthodox Church and from homosexuals. The bill would place "common law" relationships On February 10, 2008, Israel's Attorney General Menahem Mazuz (AG) issued a legal opinion that same-sex couples may adopt children. According to a statement issued by the AG, [T]here is no legal reason to prevent a Law No. 19194 of January 24, 2008 amends article 177 and adds article 181-B to the Criminal Code concerning loss of the "Patria potestas" (parental rights and duties). The new versions of these articles incorporate aggravating The Law Commission of India has proposed a reduction in the legal marriageable age for men from 21 to 18 years, while recommending that unions contracted below the age of 16 be considered void. The Commission On January 22, 2008, Switzerland promulgated the Federal Act on Family Allowances (AMTLICHE SAMMLUNG 131 (2008)). This law increases the paid allowances for children to a minimum of 200 Swiss Francs (about US$181) in all the... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l20540224_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l2054023_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that provisions in the state's marriage statutes disallowing same-sex marriages violate the California Constitution. The opinion arose from six consolidated proceedings involving the City of The Greek government's plan to introduce a bill that would grant more rights to unmarried couples recently met with strong opposition from the Greek Orthodox Church and from homosexuals. The bill would place "common law" relationships On February 10, 2008, Israel's Attorney General Menahem Mazuz (AG) issued a legal opinion that same-sex couples may adopt children. According to a statement issued by the AG, [T]here is no legal reason to prevent a Law No. 19194 of January 24, 2008 amends article 177 and adds article 181-B to the Criminal Code concerning loss of the "Patria potestas" (parental rights and duties). The new versions of these articles incorporate aggravating The Law Commission of India has proposed a reduction in the legal marriageable age for men from 21 to 18 years, while recommending that unions contracted below the age of 16 be considered void. The Commission On January 22, 2008, Switzerland promulgated the Federal Act on Family Allowances (AMTLICHE SAMMLUNG 131 (2008)). This law increases the paid allowances for children to a minimum of 200 Swiss Francs (about US$181) in all the Article 41.3 of the Irish Constitution provides, "[t]he State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, upon which the Family is founded, and protect it against attack." (Ir. Const. 1937, art. 41.3,... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l2054023_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l2054076_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that provisions in the state's marriage statutes disallowing same-sex marriages violate the California Constitution. The opinion arose from six consolidated proceedings involving the City of The Greek government's plan to introduce a bill that would grant more rights to unmarried couples recently met with strong opposition from the Greek Orthodox Church and from homosexuals. The bill would place "common law" relationships On February 10, 2008, Israel's Attorney General Menahem Mazuz (AG) issued a legal opinion that same-sex couples may adopt children. According to a statement issued by the AG, [T]here is no legal reason to prevent a Law No. 19194 of January 24, 2008 amends article 177 and adds article 181-B to the Criminal Code concerning loss of the "Patria potestas" (parental rights and duties). The new versions of these articles incorporate aggravating The Law Commission of India has proposed a reduction in the legal marriageable age for men from 21 to 18 years, while recommending that unions contracted below the age of 16 be considered void. The Commission On January 22, 2008, Switzerland promulgated the Federal Act on Family Allowances (AMTLICHE SAMMLUNG 131 (2008)). This law increases the paid allowances for children to a minimum of 200 Swiss Francs (about US$181) in all the Article 41.3 of the Irish Constitution provides, "[t]he State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, upon which the Family is founded, and protect it against attack." (Ir. Const. 1937, art. 41.3, On October 23, 2007, the Brazilian Federal Senate approved the draft of a proposed supplemental law that changes the way children of estranged couples are raised. According to the proposed law, both parents will share all... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Sun, 02 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l2054076_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l2054075_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper legal procedures. The From July 1, 2008, all persons in Australia applying for a Parenting Order (Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) Pt VII) must attend family dispute resolution (other than in instances of violence, child abuse, or urgency). Parenting On June 17, 2008, the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, approved legislation permitting same-sex marriage that will come into force on January 1, 2009. The bill had been proposed by the parliamentary Standing Committee on Family and Northern Irish adoption law has been brought into line with that of the rest of the United Kingdom, after the House of Lords declared on June 18, 2008, that sections 14 and 15 of the Adoption The Act for the Establishment of Paternity Without a Proceeding to Contest Paternity, enacted on March 28, 2008 (BUNDESGESETZBLATT (BGBL, official law gazette of the Federal Republic of Germany) I at 441), became effective on April In 2004, Canada's Supreme Court ruled that the exception to the assault provisions of the Criminal Code allowing for limited corporal punishment of children was not unconstitutional on the grounds that it subjected children to cruel On April 1, 2008, the High Court of Bombay, India, ruled that a couple seeking divorce by mutual consent cannot dissolve the marriage within a few months, but must wait for a year after solemnization of On May 6, 2008 the Maryland Court of Appeals declined to recognize a Pakistani "talaq" divorce, holding that the practice conflicted with Maryland public policy and the Maryland Constitution. Farah and Irfan Aleem, citizens On May 15, 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled that provisions in the state's marriage statutes disallowing same-sex marriages violate the California Constitution. The opinion arose from six consolidated proceedings involving the City of The Greek government's plan to introduce a bill that would grant more rights to unmarried couples recently met with strong opposition from the Greek Orthodox Church and from homosexuals. The bill would place "common law" relationships On February 10, 2008, Israel's Attorney General Menahem Mazuz (AG) issued a legal opinion that same-sex couples may adopt children. According to a statement issued by the AG, [T]here is no legal reason to prevent a Law No. 19194 of January 24, 2008 amends article 177 and adds article 181-B to the Criminal Code concerning loss of the "Patria potestas" (parental rights and duties). The new versions of these articles incorporate aggravating The Law Commission of India has proposed a reduction in the legal marriageable age for men from 21 to 18 years, while recommending that unions contracted below the age of 16 be considered void. The Commission On January 22, 2008, Switzerland promulgated the Federal Act on Family Allowances (AMTLICHE SAMMLUNG 131 (2008)). This law increases the paid allowances for children to a minimum of 200 Swiss Francs (about US$181) in all the Article 41.3 of the Irish Constitution provides, "[t]he State pledges itself to guard with special care the institution of Marriage, upon which the Family is founded, and protect it against attack." (Ir. Const. 1937, art. 41.3, On October 23, 2007, the Brazilian Federal Senate approved the draft of a proposed supplemental law that changes the way children of estranged couples are raised. According to the proposed law, both parents will share all A Special Commission of the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies is analyzing a proposal for a constitutional amendment that would reduce to one year the necessary period before a couple can file for divorce. Appended to it... The Global Legal Monitor from the Law Library of Congress covers legal news and developments worldwide. Sun, 02 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l2054075_text http://www.loc.gov/lawweb/servlet/lloc_news?disp3_l2054078_text Family - On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which the eldest son is entitled to inherit the family's principal On April 7, 2013, the Supreme Court of Israel held that the Rabbinical (Jewish religious) Court was authorized to order the incarceration of a Jewish husband who had refused to grant his wife a Get (a The Haifa Family Court recently rejected a lawsuit brought by a Moslem man for a declaratory judgment that would nullify his paternity of two minor children based on genetic testing he wished to perform. The children, On April 17, 2013, the New Zealand Parliament passed the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill by a margin of 77-44. (Isaac Davison et al., Same-Sex Marriage Law Passed, THE On March 28, 2013, Japan's Supreme Court affirmed the adjudication of a High Court that had imposed an administrative fine every time the divorced mother in a In March 2013, Israel's Rabbinical Courts' Administration started posting photographs of and personal information about husbands who have disappeared without divorcing their wives. The public posting of On February 2, 2013, the French National Assembly approved a provision on the redefinition of marriage as an agreement between two people, rather than between a man and a woman that is part of On January 25, 2013, Poland's legislature (the Seim) rejected three bills that, had they been adopted, would have given some legal rights to same-sex couples, as well On January 25, 2013, Canada's Supreme Court determined by a five-to-four decision that common law couples do not have the same legal rights as married couples. (Sung France's Council of Ministers (Conseil des Ministres, Cabinet) approved a draft law on November 7, 2012, that legalizes marriage for same-sex couples. The proposal gives such couples the rights usually assigned to marriage, as On September 20, 2012, the Australian Senate (the upper house of the federal parliament) voted 41-26 against the Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012. (Marriage Amendment Bill (No. 2) 2012; Marriage Amendment On August 29, 2012, the New Zealand Parliament voted on the First Reading of a bill that seeks to make provision for same-sex marriage in the country. (John Hartevelt, Bill Passes First Reading, STUFF.CO.NZ (Aug. On July 10, 2012, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed the Capacity and Guardianship Law (Amendment No. 17) 5772-2012. The amendment authorizes courts to hear and make decisions on requests submitted by grandparents regarding contact with their On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter, Senate Passes 'No Same Sex Marriage' Bill, DAILY On July 16, 2012, in a landmark decision, the Family Court of Saudi Arabia approved a request for a divorce submitted by a Saudi woman because of her husband's smoking habit. In a complaint submitted to On May 2, 2012, in an unprecedented decision, Brazil's Superior Tribunal of Justice (Superior Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a STJ) sentenced a father to pay R$200,000 (about US$105,000) to his daughter as compensation for material and emotional A new regulation adopted by the European Parliament on March 15, 2012, establishes rules to settle inheritance disputes if someone dies and his/her heir raises questions about the estate in more than one Member State of Denmark's government announced a proposal on March 13, 2012, that would legalize same-sex marriages in the country, beginning on June 15 of this year. According to Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, legislation to permit gays and lesbians On March 15, 2012, Italy's Supreme Court (Corte Suprema di Cassazione) determined that a gay couple who married outside of Italy could not be considered legally wed in Italy, but did have a "right to a On November 29, 2011, the upper house of Nigeria's National Assembly adopted the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, a proposal that aims to criminalize same-sex marriage. (Ademola Adebayo, Senate Outlaws Same Sex Marriage andhellip; Offenders The Swedish Supreme Court, on July 5, 2011, decided that there is no basis for Swedish jurisdiction over a custody battle when the child's "habitual residence" is outside Sweden and the European Union. (Hgsta Domstolens The 109-member Nigerian Senate is considering a draft law, the Same Gender Marriage (Prohibition) Bill, aimed at criminalizing same-sex marriage. The draft passed a second reading on September 27, 2011, and was sent to the Standing The Supreme People's Court (SPC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) issued its third interpretation on the application of the country's Marriage Law on August 9, 2011. Interpretation (III) took effect on August 13. (Wang On July 15, 2011, the family court in Tiberius, Israel, rendered an unprecedented judgment by rejecting a request to quash a husband's suit for compensation for pain and suffering caused by his wife's adultery. The case On June 28, 2011, the Brazilian judiciary authorized the first same-sex marriage in Brazil. After eight years of living together, a gay couple was able to obtain a marriage certificate after being allowed by the judiciary In a referendum held on June 19, 2011, Liechtenstein citizens indicated their support for a Civil Partnership Act (Partnerschaftsgesetz), with nearly 69% of voters in favor of the new law that grants members of same-sex unions On January 28, 2011, the French Constitutional Council found that the French Civil Code's provisions providing that marriage must be between a man and a woman are not in violation of the Constitution (Décision 2010-92 QPC On December 14, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Brazil launched a Unified Certificates program designed to provide registrars nationwide with standardized forms to be used for the issuance of birth, marriage, and death certificates. The In October 2010, a family court in Egypt rejected the DNA results in a case concerning a parental relationship. The primary reason for rejecting the test results is that DNA testing does not adhere to Islamic Mali's Parliament is currently considering a watered-down version of the Family Code bill that it passed on August 2009 after Toumani Tour;, Mali's President, refused to give his assent to it in the face of political Japan's Amended Child Rearing Allowance Law (Law No. 40 of 2010) became effective on August 1, 2010. Now, single-father households may receive the same allowance from the government accorded to single-mother households. The Child Rearing Allowance On July 21, 2010, Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (FCC, Bundesverfassungsgericht) issued a decision that strengthened the rights of fathers of out-of-wedlock children (Docket No. 1 BvR 420/09 (July 21, 2010), available at http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/entscheidungen/rs20100721_1bvr042009.html). The decision In a decision rendered on August 9, 2010, the Supreme Court of Israel rejected petitions submitted by two Israeli men to order the Minister of Interior to register them as fathers of children born to Palestinian The Justice Tribunal of the State of Sandatilde;o Paulo (Corregedoria do Serviandccedil;o de Controle das Unidades Extrajudiciais do Tribunal de Justiandccedil;a de Sandatilde;o Paulo) in Brazil authorized a couple who donated genetic material to a surrogate Ireland has declined to take part in a European Union plan for enhanced cooperation in divorce cases. The proposed scheme has been agreed upon by 14 Member States implementing, for the first time, rules contained in On June 13, 2010, the Ministry of Justice of Egypt established a committee to compose a draft law regulating marriage and divorce for Christians. The purpose of this initiative is to help alleviate the anger expressed Under Islamic law, one of the requirements of a marriage contract is that the man has to make a gift of money or property to the woman; this gift is called mahr. This condition is incorporated The Althingi, Iceland's parliament, on June 11, 2010, unanimously approved same-sex marriages. The new concept of marriage as being neutral on gender-orientation will replace the existing practice of registered partnerships for gay couples, which has On April 14, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Italy upheld the country's prohibition against same-sex marriages. The question brought before the Court by the appeals court of Trento and the tribunal of Venice was whether provisions On April 8, 2010, the Portuguese Constitutional Tribunal confirmed the legitimacy of a law, passed in January 2010 by the Parliament, which modifies the definition of marriage in the new Civil Code. According to the law, On March 17, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed an amendment to the Women's Labor Law extending the leave to which a parent is entitled after the birth of a child. The extension of the leave On March 15, 2010, the Knesset (Israel's parliament) passed a law authorizing the registration of spousal agreements. The law was designed to enable the portion of the population that does not belong to any recognized religion, On March 24, 2010, the European Commission (the executive body of the European Union, part of whose function is to draft proposals for new laws) (EC) made public a proposed regulation to simplify and clarify laws It was reported on March 8, 2010, that a legislative proposal on electronic registration of births, marriages, registered partnerships, and deaths, drafted by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom On February 2, 2010, Jordan's Ministry of Justice, in pending legislation to amend the law on family matters, added a new provision on divorce via cell phones, the Internet, and email messages. The new provision authorizes On January 8, 2010, the Portuguese Parliament approved a proposal for a law that authorizes persons of the same sex to get married. The proposal was designed to remove the definition stating that marriage is between Following weeks of disagreement between Austrian political groups on the subject, on November 17, 2009, the government agreed to permit the registration of civil partnerships for homosexual couples. The new law will become effective on January On October 29, 2009, Argentina's Congress started formally debating two bills that would amend the current Civil Code to allow same-sex marriage. The bills are supported by the Kirchner administration and center-left forces in Congress and Chile has adopted a new law that creates the Inter-Agency Social Protection System (IASPS) and recognizes the existence of the Integral Infants' Protection Sub-System (IFPSS), "Chile Grows with You." Law No. 20,379, which was promulgated on It was reported on September 9, 2009, that MIFUMI, a women's rights organization that promotes protection for women and children affected by domestic violence, abuse, and bride-price violations, together with other concerned individuals, filed a legal It was reported on August 11, 2009, that the Malawi Parliament had passed into law a constitutional amendment bill upping the minimum marriageable age (with parental consent) from 15 to 16. (Chidyamakanda Law' Oppression for Malawi On September 8, 2008, the Judicial Committee of the Iranian Parliament's House of Representatives voted to delete two articles from the Family Protection Bill, including one on polygamy. Under article 23 of the bill as presented The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has held that under certain circumstances, a police officer may lawfully arrest a person for criminal trespass on a property to which she has legal title. It was reported on August 11, 2009, that Mali's National Assembly adopted a controversial new Family Code that introduces far-reaching changes to the existing family laws. It sets the minimum marriage age at 18, abolishes the A new regulation that entered into force on August 1, 2009, aims to ensure the implementation or resumption of payment of partner maintenance, voluntary or not, after a divorce or separation or the dissolution of a A controversial Afghan law that many Western analysts equate with legalizing rape was put into force after it received the approval of the Afghanistan Parliament (both the lower and upper house) and was signed into law On April 29, 2009, a new provision amending the section on family (part IV) of Taiwan's Civil Code was promulgated, to allow for divorce by means of mediation. Article 1052-1 stipulates that for divorces established through The Law Commission of India, which has the responsibility of drafting new laws and suggesting amendments to other laws, received a suggestion from the High Court of Madras that the Christian Law of Divorce (The Divorce The Iranian government has begun implementing controversial legislation that allows women to inherit all forms of their husband's property. According to Article 946 of the Civil Code of Iran, which is based on Islamic On May 1, 2009, it was reported that an arranged marriage in Saudi Arabia between a man in his fifties and a girl aged eight ended through a settlement brokered by a judge after protracted negotiations On April 1, 2009, the Riksdag (Sweden's parliament), in a vote of 226 to 22, passed a law permitting same-sex marriages, replacing the Registered Partnership Act of 1994. The new law becomes effective on May 1. On March 14, 2009, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva met for the first time with the President of the United States, Barack Obama. Lula is the third Head of State to meet with Obama, Under the Promotion of Continued Parenting and Proper Divorce Act (Wet bevordering voortgezet ouderschap en zorgvuldige scheiding), which took effect in the Netherlands on March 1, 2009, parents must record agreements about their children in a It was reported on March 9, 2009, that the Ugandan Cabinet approved a bill that seeks to rein in domestic violence. The bill will now be presented to the Parliament. This bill makes engaging in domestic In a recent decision, allegedly contrary to its earlier rulings about matrimonial causes, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant a decree of divorce on the ground that there was an "irretrievable breakdown" of the The Delaware Supreme Court, on February 3, 2009, rejected the claim of a woman seeking custody of a child she had helped care for while in a same-sex relationship. Lacey Smith and Charlene Gordon It was reported on February 11, 2009, that Rwanda is finalizing preparations to publish a law against gender-based violence (GBV) within the next two weeks. The law passed both chambers of parliament last year, but its A bench of the Kerala High Court, which is in the southernmost portion of India, consisting of Justices Kurian Joseph and Harun-Ul-Rashid, asked the Government of India to set up regulatory bodies in states and at On November 5, 2008, Brazilian President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva signed Law No. 11,804, making it mandatory that the allegedfather of a child pay child support during the mother's pregnancy. In the past, the father On October 10, 2008, the Portuguese Parliament rejected two proposed laws that were presented by two minority parties (Bloco Esquerdista e Verde) that would have amended the Portuguese Civil Code to allow persons of the same As part of a simplification program that started in 2006, known as the Simplex Initiative and designed to make the services provided by the public sector faster and more responsive to citizens' and businesses' needs, now On September 1, 2008, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs issued the Adoption Registration Work Norms, for the first time setting forth clear provisions on the establishment of adoption registration agencies and the supervision and management of The Parliament of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, has passed the Miscellaneous Acts Amendment (Same Sex Relationships) Act 2008 (NSW). The Act permits existing children conceived through artificial fertilization who are living in domestic The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies approved, on August 13, 2008, the proposal for a new law that expands maternity leave from the current four months established in the Constitution to an optional six months. The proposal On August 6, 2008, the Commission on Social Affairs of the Brazilian Federal Senate approved a proposal for the expansion of paternity leave from five days to 15, without prejudice to the father's salary or job It was reported on August 9, 2008, that several Tanzanian legislators are seeking to change laws and cultural practices that have a harmful impact on women. Dr. Gertrude Rwakatare, a Tanzanian On June 13, 2008, a proposed law amending the Brazilian Civil Code was sanctioned by President Luiz Inandaacute;cio Lula da Silva, allowing parents to share the custody of their children in cases of separation or divorce. Cyclone Nargis, which devastated a large region of Burma, created a number of orphans. The Burmese Department of Social Welfare (DSW) has stressed, however, that they can be adopted only through the proper