Daily Briefs

Cooley Law School Hosts Panel in HONOR of Constitution Day


On Friday, September 20, Thomas M. Cooley Law School’s Ann Arbor campus will host an interactive panel discussion, “Finding Michigan’s Invisible People,” in honor of Constitution Day. This panel will address the pending DeBoer v. Snyder case, which raises two constitutional issues: the 2004 Michigan Marriage Amendment, which bars recognition of same-sex relationships in Michigan, and the Michigan Adoption Code, which keeps non-married couples from jointly adopting children.
The plaintiffs, April DeBoer and Jayne Rowse, are in a long-term, committed relationship, and would marry if they were allowed to by Michigan law. The couple originally filed suit in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan to challenge the Michigan Adoption Code, which prevents them from jointly adopting the three children they have adopted separately. Michigan adoption law allows married couples and individuals to adopt, but non-married couples cannot jointly adopt a child. Since same-sex couples cannot legally marry in Michigan, they cannot legally adopt together. Recognizing this, Judge Bernard Friedman allowed the plaintiffs to amend their suit to include a challenge to Michigan’s same-sex marriage ban.
“The United States Supreme Court has ruled several times, most recently this past June, that discrimination against gays and lesbians just because of their sexual orientation is unconstitutional,” said Dan Ray, professor of constitutional law at Cooley and moderator for the panel. “The Constitution Day panel will discuss issues that are important to couples and families not just here in Michigan, but all across the country.”
The panel will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Cooley Law School Ann Arbor campus at 3475 Plymouth Road.
For more information, contact Julie Mullens at (734) 372-4900 ext. 8798 or by email mullensj@cooley.edu.
 


Free Community Health Fair to take place in Detroit September 25

Detroit Central city Community Mental Health, Inc., Wayne County Third Circuit Mental Health Court, Institute for Population Health, Detroit-Wayne County Community Mental Health Agency and the Department of Health Wellness Population are hosting a Community Health Fair on Wednesday, September 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Detroit Central City’s parking lot at 2727 Second (across from Cass Technical High School). The health fair is free and open to the public.
Rain or shine, the event is an opportunity for the community to receive immunization and flu shots, Hepatitis B vaccines and tetanus shots, drug and alcohol abuse screening, health wellness coaching, HIV testing and counseling and mental health screenings.
Information on services will be provided by representatives from Family Planning, Mental Health and Drug providers, free governmental assistance cell phones, free dental service enrollment, Gleaners Food Bank, Transitional Housing Providers, Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous and much more.
Music and interactive activities, such as aerobics,  stretching exercises and healthy cooking demos, will be on-going throughout the day.
For additional information, contact Deborah Price at (313) 224-2269 or Norris Howard at (313) 833-6288.

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