Gay law no longer closeted; family issues face courts and lawmakers

Article Abstract:

Public acceptance of homosexuals is more prevalent, but this acceptance of gays' individual rights does not include gay families. State court decisions reflect this split in support for gay rights. According to a Newsweek-Gallup poll, 78% of Americans approve of equal job opportunities for gays and 43% said they knew someone who was gay. Gay issues have also shown up in election-year politics, with the Republican Party presidential platform coming down against same-sex marriages and gay adoptions, while Clinton has not spoken out on gay family rights.

Gays, Interpretation and construction, Laws, regulations and rules, Family law, Gay parents

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DNA unraveling; the prosecutor's dream weapon has been helping the defense

Article Abstract:

The National Research Council (NRC) issued a report in Apr 1992 doubting the heretofore-accepted near-infallibility of DNA evidence, and since then six state appellate courts have declined to admit such evidence as solely probative of a defendant's guilt or innocence. Many convictions may need to be reviewed as a result of the doubts the NRC report casts on DNA statistics from the FBI and commercial labs. Defense lawyers have, however, still been able to get their imprisoned clients exonerated on the basis of DNA evidence.

Analysis, Usage, Reports, Evidence (Law), DNA testing, DNA identification, National Research Council

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Discipline cases steady for now; but change is in offing

Article Abstract:

The state attorney disciplinary bodies say their statistics for 1991 look similar to those for the year before and that only slight increases are evident. The California and Texas state bars have instituted toll-free hotlines for complaints about attorneys. They expect an increase in cases to come with the ease in filing.

Attorneys, Discipline, Lawyers

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