Thursday, December 24, 2009

Spain's Supreme Court Increases Suspension for Homophobic Judge

Wow!! While on the topic of homophobia in the legal profession, one best not forget the rampant homophobia among judges who allow their personal religious beliefs to lead them to inequitable if not downright horrific treatment of LGBT Litigants. If the Virginia Supreme Court were to follow the example of Spain's highest court, many courts in Virginia - including the majority in Norfolk - might well be without judges. Kudos to Spain's Supreme Court for hitting a homophobic judge (pictured at left) with a 10 year suspension for his inappropriate discrimination against an LGBT litigant. Once again, Spain is ahead of the USA in its treatment of its LGBT citizens. Here are some story highlights:
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The Murcia judge who was suspended by the Murcia High Court for maliciously delaying the adoption by a lesbian woman of her partner’s child has had his appeal against the court’s turned down by Spain’s highest court.
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The Supreme Court has in fact decided to increase more than four-fold the magistrate’s original suspension of two years, three months and one day: the length of his ban has now gone up to 10 years.
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The sentence prohibiting Fernando Ferrín Calamita from his profession for 10 years has also ordered him to pay a fine of 720 €, and has confirmed 6,000 € in compensation to the woman who had applied to adopt the child
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Judge Calamita was originally suspended for 2 years for maliciously delaying a lesbian adoption.
Honestly, moving to Spain is looking better and better all the time.

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