Same-sex marriage has been legal in South Africa since the Civil Union Act,2006 came into force on 30 November 2006. The decision of the Constitutional Court in the case of Minister of Home Affairs v Fourie on 1 December 2005 extended the common-law definition of marriage to include same-sex spouses—as the Constitution of South Africa guarantees equal protection before the law to all citizens regardless of sexual orientation—and gave Parliament one year to rectify the inequality in the marriage statutes. On 14 November 2006,the National Assembly passed a law allowing same-sex couples to legally solemnise their union 229 to 41,which was subsequently approved by the National Council of Provinces on 28 November in a 36 to 11 vote,and the law came into effect two days later.
Mary Howarth Arden,Baroness Mance,,PC,known professionally as Lady Arden of Heswall,is a former Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Before that,she was a judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales.
Roberto Alexandre Vieira Ribeiro is a Hong Kong judge and honorary lecturer in law at the University of Hong Kong. He is currently one of the three permanent judges for the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong,and is the longest serving judge in that court.
This article contains a timeline of significant events regarding same-sex marriage and legal recognition of same-sex couples worldwide. It begins with the history of same-sex unions during ancient times,which consisted of unions ranging from informal and temporary relationships to highly ritualized unions,and continues to modern-day state-recognized same-sex marriage. Events concerning same-sex marriages becoming legal in a country or in a country's state are listed in bold.
Celia Kitzinger and Sue Wilkinson are a British lesbian couple who lobbied to have their relationship recognised as a marriage in England.
There are various levels of judiciary in England and Wales—different types of courts have different styles of judges. They also form a strict hierarchy of importance,in line with the order of the courts in which they sit,so that judges of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales are given more weight than district judges sitting in county courts and magistrates' courts. On 1 April 2020 there were 3,174 judges in post in England and Wales. Some judges with United Kingdom-wide jurisdiction also sit in England and Wales,particularly Justices of the United Kingdom Supreme Court and members of the tribunals judiciary.
Terence Michael Elkan Barnet Etherton,Baron Etherton,is a British retired judge and member of the House of Lords. He was the Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice from 2016 to 2021 and Chancellor of the High Court from 2013 to 2016.
Anthony Philip Gilson Hughes,Lord Hughes of Ombersley,PC is a former English judge of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. He was previously a Lord Justice of Appeal and Vice-President of the Criminal Division from 2009,following the retirement of Lord Justice Latham,to 9 April 2013.
Sir Henry Brooke CMG was a British judge. He became a Lord Justice of Appeal in 1996,and became vice-president of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales in 2003. He retired from judicial office on 30 September 2006.
Colin John MacLean Sutherland,Lord Carloway,is a Scottish advocate and judge who has served as the Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General since 2015. He was previously Lord Justice Clerk from 2012 to 2015 and has been a Senator of the College of Justice since 2000.
Lesbian,gay,bisexual,and transgender (LGBT) people in Hong Kong may face legal challenges not experienced by non-LGBT residents.
Sir Rupert Matthew Jackson,PC is a retired justice of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales. Currently he serves as a Justice of the Astana International Financial Centre Court.
John Anthony Dyson,Lord Dyson,is a former British judge and barrister. He was Master of the Rolls and Head of Civil Justice,the second most senior judge in England and Wales,from 2012 to 2016,and a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2012. He was the first justice to be appointed who was not a peer.
Sir James Lawrence Munby is a retired English judge who was President of the Family Division of the High Court of England and Wales. He was replaced by Sir Andrew McFarlane on reaching the mandatory retirement age.
Roger John Laugharne Thomas,Baron Thomas of Cwmgiedd,FLSW is a British judge. He served as Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 2013 to 2017.
This is a timeline of notable events in the history of lesbian,gay,bisexual and transgender people in South Africa.
Same-sex marriage is currently not recognised nor performed in Bermuda,a British Overseas Territory,but it was legal between 2017 and 2022. However,marriages performed during that period remain valid.
Hong Kong does not recognise same-sex marriages or civil unions. However,same-sex couples are afforded limited legal rights as a result of several court decisions,including the right to apply for a spousal visa,spousal benefits for the partners of government employees,and guardianship rights and joint custody of children.
Same-sex marriage is currently not recognised in the Cayman Islands. The island's statutory law limits marriage to different-sex couples. A lawsuit with the Grand Court successfully challenged this ban in March 2019;however,the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling in November 2019. Same-sex civil partnerships are legal following the enactment of the Civil Partnership Law,2020 on 4 September 2020.
Sir Richard Ian Barker was a New Zealand jurist. His legal career spanned over six decades. He was a lawyer for 20 years,followed by 20 years as a judge at the High Court,before he worked for another two decades as a mediator and arbitrator. Barker was involved in the law reform in the Cook Islands.
