Tag Archives: law

lady-justice

The genetic parents of twins born to a surrogate have won their High Court case to have the biological mother recognised as the legal mother.

The genetic mother of the twins, who were born to her sister using her embryos, challenged the refusal of the Chief Registrar to record her name on the birth certificates.

At a hearing in January, the court was told there was no provision to record anyone other than the woman who gave birth to a child as the mother.

This morning, the High Court gave a number of groundbreaking declarations, including that the genetic mother is entitled to have her name on the birth certificates.

 

Genetic Parents Win Landmark Surrogacy Case (RTE)

Image via Business & Leadership

Minister for Health James Reilly has said a memorandum on planned abortion legislation will be brought to Cabinet next week and he hoped the new law could be produced before summer.

When asked when a new legal framework would be ready, he said: “I want it done as quickly as possible. I was hoping obviously that we could have something very substantial before Easter and that remains my hope.”

Asked if the planned law would be ready before the summer, he said: “I think in an ideal world that’s what I’d like to see but I mean I can’t foresee all the difficulties and potholes along the road.

Who can, Bottler? Who can?

Reilly hopes abortion law will be ready by summer (Mary Minihan, Marie O’Halloran, Irish Times)

(Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)

 

 

Being annoying, offensive or maybe even provocative online could become illegal in Arizona if legislators move forward with a bill.

Arizona House Bill 2549 would amend the telephone harassment section of the state’s anti-stalking law to include the communication technology of the day in an effort to combat cyberbullying.

The portion in question reads: “It is unlawful for any person, with intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend, to use any electronic or digital device and use any obscene, lewd or profane language or suggest any lewd or lascivious act, or threaten to inflict physical harm to the person or property of any person.”

“Electronic or digital device” would supplant “telephone.” But the substitution may alter the focus of the law, some contend.

It’s hard to know what way to take this. Probably best not to react at all.

Trolling, a criminal offense in Arizona? (LA Times, Tech Now)

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(Hat tip: Miranda Wrights)

This year marks the centenary of the birth of Alan Turing: the father of both computer science and artificial intelligence: the man whose Enigma decoding process was instrumental in winning World War II.

Arrested for homosexuality in 1952, Turing’s security clearances were revoked, he was barred from consulting work and offered the horrific choice of chemical castration or prison. He chose castration. In 1954, he committed suicide by eating a cyanide-laced apple.

Recently, more than 23,000 people signed an online petition to ask the UK government to pardon Alan Turing for homosexuality, (which, at the time of Turning’s arrest, was considered a crime of “gross indecency”). Yesterday, the motion was dismissed by the House of Lords.

According to Justice Minister Lord McNally (who said that the possibility of a pardon had been under consideration by the government since 2009):

“It is tragic that Alan Turing was convicted of an offence which now seems both cruel and absurd, particularly… given his outstanding contribution to the war effort,” he said.
“However, the law at the time required a prosecution and, as such, long-standing policy has been to accept that such convictions took place and, rather than trying to alter the historical context and to put right what cannot be put right, ensure instead that we never again return to those times.”

UK denies Alan Turing postumous pardon for homosexuality (Forbes)

A previous petition, organised by computer security expert and author, John Graham-Cumming in 2009 led to the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown issuing an unequivocal posthumous apology to Mr Turing on behalf of the Government, describing his treatment as “horrifying” and “utterly unfair”.

In his blog post on Monday John Graham-Cunningham wrote:

It’s interesting, to me at least, that the issue of a pardon was considered in 2009 as this was not something I had been asking for. The government’s response makes clear that they do not consider a pardon appropriate.

Widespread Celebrations But No Pardon For Turing (I Programmer)

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THE GOVERNMENT is set to tackle illegal downloading of music and films in January by plugging a gap in the Republic’s laws that allows internet users access to sites that “pirate” this material.

Minister of State for Enterprise Seán Sherlock is to publish an order early in the new year that is expected to allow music publishers, film producers and other parties to go to court to prevent internet service providers from allowing their customers access to pirate websites.

The Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Jobs has written to music publisher EMI Ireland confirming the order will be published and incorporated into existing legislation in January. Mr Sherlock also said in a written answer to a parliamentary question that the order, or statutory instrument, would be published next month.

Illegal downloading to be curbed by Government order (Irish Times)

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