It’s election season, and election season inevitably brings its share of lawsuits as parties, candidates and committees challenge the way we conduct our elections. This election season has been no different and while the big election-related legal news of the week was the U.S. Supreme Court’s refusal to hear an appeal over Ohio’s early voting hours, a major election-related legal story from last month got very little press time.
In more than a dozen cases over nearly three decades, the Supreme Court of the United States has been asked to determine whether programs that grant benefits, bonuses or advantages to minority groups are in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. The cases frequently feature lively oral arguments, multiple dissents and votes of 5–4 or 6–3 among the Justices.
A stepparent files to request custody of their stepchild following a divorce. A grandparent seeks to gain custody of their grandchild. An aunt or uncle seeks to gain control over the care of a nephew whose living condition is questionable. In each case, the person trying to earn custodial rights will almost certainly ask to have visitation with the child while the custody case is pending.
In 2011 the world was captivated by the wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate. Various sources estimated the worldwide television audience to be in excess of one billion viewers for the nuptials of the future King and Queen of the United Kingdom. This past week, however, a very different kind of attention was drawn to the Princess as a result of the publication of revealing pictures of her sunbathing topless while on vacation in France.
It will be difficult for the U.S. Supreme Court to garner more attention to its 2012–2013 term than it received a year ago in a calendar that included major cases on immigration and health care reform. That said, this Supreme Court term, which begins with oral arguments in early October, is not without noteworthy cases. Among them:
Your teenage child is headed out the door, jacket on and keys in hand. You ask where she’s going and when she’ll be back. She tells you that she’s going to a friend’s house and that a few other people are coming over. Your brain goes into parent mode and you have just a moment to make a decision. If you let her go, the ship has sailed and the time to ask more questions is gone. Instead, you put a hold on things and ask more questions — questions about who will be present, whether her friend’s parents will be home and what they’ll be doing. By doing so, you prevent irrevocable harm and allow for information to be gathered before making a final decision.
I’m not a big fan of Nicolas Cage’s acting. I’m sure he’s a wonderful guy, but I just don’t like his movies. I was greatly surprised, therefore, that he won an Academy Award in 1996 and was nominated for another in 2003 and he’s also won a Golden Globe award and a Screen Actor’s Guild award.
When the Carnival Dream launched on Sept. 21, 2009, she instantly became the largest cruise ship in the entire Carnival fleet. Technically registered as a Panamanian ship, she is reported to have more singers, dancers, comedians and other entertainers than any other Carnival cruise ship. When fully loaded, she can carry more than 4,600 passengers and nearly 1,500 crew members.
