Supreme Court

By Jonah Hull in Europe on January 17th, 2012
Garzon, who tried to extradite former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, sits in the dock with his lawyer [Reuters]

Those who have claimed Judge Baltasar Garzon is the victim of a judicial witch-hunt by colleagues jealous of his fame, might have been surprised to see the top investigative judge arrive at Madrid's Supreme Court flanked by six of his fellow judges showing their support.

The group walked towards the courthouse through a throng of demonstrators calling for justice in Garzon's name.

One told me, "This is a democracy and this judge is being judged by corrupt people. The hunter has become the hunted."

Inside, Garzon was met by applause from members of the legal fraternity. It's clear, Garzon has plenty of support, but plenty of enemies as well.

The darling of human-rights groups - and victims - in Spain and around the world, Balthasar Garzon stepped on many toes in his long career.

Arch-conservatives in Spain are angry at his attempts to dig up Spain's wartime past.

Plenty of enemies

By Marga Ortigas in Asia on November 20th, 2011
Former President Arroyo seen with a 3kg halo brace which was screwed to the base of her skull in this undated photo. [Reuters]

The roller-coaster ride began on Tuesday.  

Late in the afternoon, the Supreme Court spokesman was live across both television and radio announcing that a temporary restraining order had just been issued on a government travel ban against former president Gloria Arroyo.

The justices had voted eight to five to allow her to go abroad for medical treatment. Arroyo has a bone disease complicated by hyperparathyroidism, and has been in and out of hospital for months.  

Shortly after the Supreme Court announcement, Arroyo appointed a legal representative to handle any matters in her absence, and paid the nearly $40,000 bond that were two of three conditions for her departure.  

The third was that she check-in with the Philippine embassy at her destination. 

The travel ban was first put in place by the justice department pending investigations into allegations of corruption and electoral fraud during her presidency.

By Gabriel Elizondo in Americas on June 9th, 2011
AFP picture

 

Cesare Battisti.

In Italy, he’s a convicted murderer, alleged terrorist and international fugitive responsible for four killings in the 1970’s during his time with the radical Armed Proletarians for Communism group in his home country.

In Brazil, Battisti is a political refugee - and as of the past 24 hours - free to walk the streets.

Yes, we are talking about the same man here.

It’s a long and complicated story, Google him or read here for more background. But the bottom line is that Battisti was arrested in Brazil in 2007 because he had an international arrest warrant in his name.

By Imran Khan in Asia on September 28th, 2010
EPA photo

The rumour mill is in overdrive. Yousef Raza Gilani, the Pakistan prime minister, risks defying a court order, and the supreme court is flexing its muscles. It's high noon in Pakistan and the showdown, due in the supreme court on October 13, is putting immense pressure on the government.
 
Once again, the government is in crisis. This time it's over a case the government claims has technically been closed. It involves alleged money laundering through Switzerland by Asif Ali Zardari, the country's president, before he became president.
 
Supporters of the government say he has presidential immunity and therefore he is free from prosecution. Not so, says the supreme court, as the allegation's date from before his time as leader.
 
The supreme court wants the Pakistani PM to write a letter to the Swiss authorities demanding that they reopen the case. So far the PM has not written the letter.

By Camille Elhassani in Americas on August 12th, 2010
Photo by Getty Images

A federal judge in the state of California has ordered the state to resume issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples beginning August 18. 

In 2008, voters in the state of California narrowly approved a measure banning same-sex marriage. Earlier that year, the state's Supreme Court declared the state’s ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional. California issued 18,000 marriage licenses to same-sex couples between the court’s decision and the election.

Supporters of same-sex marriage fought the ban in federal court, and Judge Vaughn Walker overturned it last week.  He said the ban was discriminatory and violated the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the Constitution.

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