fandomhigh | Lawyering Up: Week 6, Wed, Period 2 (2/13)

"In honor of tomorrow's holiday, today we're talking about Family Law," Nathan said as he passed around the usual handouts. "I'll spare depressing anybody by talking about divorce. Instead let's talk about law and family at its very basis. What, according to law, is a family?

"According to the state of Virginia, family means a man and a woman, complete with any kids they might have," Nathan said. "They're so convinced of this that they tacked something called the Marshall-Newman Amendment to their state Constitution. That way they felt they could be sure that nobody trying to define marriage as man/man or woman/woman or anything else would be out of luck, legally speaking.

"In today's class I'd like you to talk about this amendment." Nathan gave them all a serious look. "Now this issue can be controversial, but I know everyone here is mature enough to respect each other's opinions and stick to issues of law. What are the advantages to an amendment like this? What are the disadvantages? Does the amendment have ramifications outside of the issue of marriage? Should the government be trying to define marriage and family in the first place?

"No pairing up needed this time," Nathan said. "Let's get a group discussion going. Share your thoughts, talk with your classmates about theirs. I'll share some of my own as we go. Who wants to start?"

[ooc: OCD ~~coming~~ is up!]

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Nathan chuckled. "It does tend to become a downward spiral. If we're not careful they'll start making forms that you have to fill out to show you don't want to fill out forms."

"They already do!" Lana said. "People are always getting forms in the mail to sign to say they don't want to be disturbed by people sending them forms. And you have to call or sign up to make sure people don't call you if you don't want them to. Not that it stops them!"

"Of course not," Nathan said. "People like to do what they call rules-lawyering. Take whatever the rule is and figure out some way that they're obeying the letter of the law, if not the spirit."

Lana nodded. "I hate that."

"Strangely this tends to happen most often with little brothers," Nathan said. "At least in my experience."

"I... wouldn't know," Lana said quietly. "I... don't have a family."

Nathan looked apologetic. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged. "It's okay. Just makes me... upset about politicians trying to legislate how I can find or create my own."

Lawyering Up: Week 6, Wed, Period 2 (2/13)

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