Brazil Court Awards Custody to American Father-- For Now
American David Goldman, after a custody battle raging over many years to recover his son from the husband of his late ex-wife, was finally awarded the return of his now 9 year old son, Sean. A panel of Brazilian federal appeals court judges ruled on December 16, 2009 that Sean, should be returned to David Goldman at the U.S. Consulate in Rio de Janeiro within 48 hours. Notwithstanding the ruling, an appeal is expected which may further delay the child's return.
District of Columbia Begins Approval of Same-Sex Marriage
By an 11-to-2 vote, the D.C. City Council passed a measure on December 15, 2009 legalizing same-sex marriage. Many expect the bill to be passed into law by spring and the Mayor has indicated he will sign the bill into law. As in Califonia and Maine, which had legalized same-sex marriage only to have it overturned by vote of the populace, opponents have already promised to overturn the bill by referendum or through Congress, which has a month to review it when signed into law.
