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The State of the Gay Union
In President Bush's January 20th State of the Union Address, he spoke of a need to halt the movement toward allowing same-sex couples to marry. If activist judges insist on changing the traditional characterization of marriage as a union between a man and a woman, he said, a change to the U.S. Constitution will be needed to preserve the “sanctity” of the institution of marriage. Judges have “begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people or their elected representatives,” he stated, apparently alluding to the November 2003 ruling by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court holding that it is contrary to that state's constitution for gay couples to be denied the right to marry.
Soon after the President declared his intention to push for a Constitutional amendment, an Ohio Senate committee approved a bill that would declare marriage between same-sex couples to be “against the strong public policy of the state.” The bill, passed by the Ohio house in December and introduced to the full senate January 21, would keep some state employees from receiving benefits for their partners and would allow Ohio to refuse to recognize gay marriages entered into outside Ohio. The U.S Supreme Court has held that each state must give full faith and credit to marital relationships arising in another state or territory of the United States unless a particular marriage is polygamous, incestuous, or otherwise declared void by a statute of the state in which the full faith and credit issue is presented. Although current law and the holdings in several Ohio court decisions confirm that only heterosexual marriages may be entered into there, the state's Marriage Law does not explicitly deem same-sex marriages void. As a result, under current law, Ohio might have to recognize such marriages if obtained, for example, in Massachusetts. The bill seeks to foreclose that possibility by explicitly deeming same-sex marriages void.
New York's Latest Cybersecurity Commitment
On Aug. 9, 2023, Gov. Kathy Hochul introduced New York's inaugural comprehensive cybersecurity strategy. In sum, the plan aims to update government networks, bolster county-level digital defenses, and regulate critical infrastructure.
Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office
A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.
Bit Parts
Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights
How AI Has Affected PR
When we consider how the use of AI affects legal PR and communications, we have to look at it as an industrywide global phenomenon. A recent online conference provided an overview of the latest AI trends in public relations, and specifically, the impact of AI on communications. Here are some of the key points and takeaways from several of the speakers, who provided current best practices, tips, concerns and case studies.