Federal judge overturns state family court ruling

Article Abstract:

US District Judge William A. Barbour of Jackson, MS, reversed the decisions of two state judges who gave custody of a young girl to her father who was accused of sexually abusing her. Barbour overturned the lower courts' rulings on the grounds that the custody hearings were perfunctory and therefore infringed on the girl's constitutional right to due process of law. Barbour originally declined to act on what is traditionally a state matter but issued his ruling after a federal appeals court instructed him to do so.

Custody of children, Child custody, Child sexual abuse, Due process of law

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Gay activists seek rights state by state

Article Abstract:

A century-old Texas law against sodomy was overturned in the case of Morales v State of Texas on the grounds that the law violated the Texas Constitution's protection of privacy rights. Attorney J. Patrick Wiseman argued in behalf of five plaintiffs that the law was unconstitutional because no compelling need existed that would justify the intrusion on gay peoples' intimate lives. Moreover, the law's real effect was to deny gay people rights available to others and to increase public hostility toward gays.

Laws, regulations and rules, Discrimination against gays, Privacy, Right of, Right of privacy, Sodomy

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Tomorrow's Jericho? How soon will the wall of separation between church and state come tumbling down?

Article Abstract:

The Supreme Court upheld the separation of church and state in Lee v Weisman, holding that nondenominational prayers at a public school graduation ceremony violated the Establishment Clause even though the ceremony was itself nonsectarian. Prayer at a school graduation, even though nominally voluntary, was also held to contain an element of coercion. With this case, the Supreme Court continued to uphold a 45-year precedent of finding that religion in the public schools is an Establishment Clause violation.

Church and state, Religion in the public schools, Religion in schools, Baccalaureate addresses, Commencement addresses

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