2015 Event Zimbabwe seeks extradition of U.S. dentist Walter James Palmer, who killed a protected lion, Cecil, during a hunt; led by a local guide, Palmer believed that the hunt was properly licensed and fully legal 2015 Event Animal rights activists lose a case to free two chimpanzees being held for research purposes; the activists argued that the animals are highly intelligent and should be treated as humans with similar legal rights 2015 Event The U.S. state of Hawaii raises the legal smoking age from 18 to 21, the highest smoking age among all the states 2014 Event Thousands of protesters march in Washington, D.C., to protest recent killings of unarmed black men by policemen; the marchers called for an end to police brutality and racial injustice in the U.S. legal system 2014 Event U.S. President Barack Obama announces plans to delay deportation of about 4 million undocumented immigrants who have lived in the country for at least 5 years and have children who are legal residents or U.S. citizens 2014 Event An independence referendum for the Spanish region of Catalonia has been cancelled after the nation's constitutional court accepted the case for legal decision, effectively suspending the move until a ruling is given 2014 Event Russian president Vladimir Putin says that he will respect the outcome of the upcoming Ukrainian elections, despite the fact that Viktor Yanukovych, the former Ukrainian president, has not had his position terminated by legal means 2014 Event China updates its environmental laws, providing more legal framework for addressing violations; the laws were last changed in 1989, prior to the nation's accelerated growth and rate of environmental degradation 2014 Event The U.S. National Security Agency confirms that it has been using a legal loophole to search phone calls and emails of Americans without a warrant 2014 Event Prominent Chinese legal activist, Xu Zhiyong, is sentenced to four years in prison; convicted of 'gathering a crowd to disturb public order,' the case is seen as evidence that Communist Party leaders wish to expunge any challenges to the power or leadership 2013 Event The Australian Government institutes a legal challenge to same-sex marriage in its High Court in response to the Australian Capital Territory becoming the first territory in Australia to legalize same-sex marriage 2012 Event U.S. Governor of Colorado, John Hickenlooper, emboldened by the passage of a voter-approved amendment to the state constitution last month, declared marijuana legal for recreational use 2011 Event In Taipei, protesters demand Taiwan's 200,000 foreign live-in caregivers receive the legal right to a weekly day off 1998 Event Switzerland's 1st legal brothel opens in Zurich 1998 Death Jay Monahan, lawyer, MSNBC legal analyst, dies at 42 1991 Event Supreme Court rules prosecutors can be sued for legal advice they give police and can be held accountable 1990 Event East and West Germany sign a treaty to join legal and political systems 1990 Event South Africa Communist Party begins 1st legal conference 1990 Event New York court of appeals ends 2 year legal battle over 1988 America's Cup by refusing jurisdiction of case 1989 Event Danish parliament allows legal marriage among homosexuals 1989 Event U.S. Supreme Court rules employees have legal burden to prove non- discriminatory reasons for not hiring or promoting 1989 Event Polish labor union granted legal status 1989 Event Solidarity grants legal status in Poland 1983 Event Senate revises immigration laws, gives millions of illegal aliens legal status under an amnesty program 1978 Event 1st legal gambling casino opens in Atlantic City 1975 Event Supreme Court rules uniform minimum legal fees are a violation 1974 Event Gold legal in U.S., Franklin Mint strikes Panama's Gold 100 balboa coin 1971 Event 1st legal off-track betting system begins (OTB-New York) 1961 Event Old type, black and white notes cease to be legal tender 1953 Event Baseball player reps Ralph Kiner (NL) and Allie Reynolds (AL) hire John Norman Lewis at $15,000 to give legal advice to players in negotiation 1950 Event U.S. Supreme Court undermines legal foundations of segregation 1950 Death Charles H Houston, architect of NAACP legal campaign, dies at 54 1948 Event Israeli pound becomes legal tender 1948 Birthday Gareth Roscoe, legal adviser, BBC 1942 Event U.S. Supreme Court declares Nevada separation legal 1942 Event 1st legal New Jersey horse race in 50 years; Garden State Park track opens 1941 Event Pennsylvania declares legal holiday to honor A's manager Connie Mack 1939 Event NAACP organized Legal Defense and Education Fund 1934 Birthday Arthur Miller, legal reporter 1933 Event 1st 2 Nazi anti-Jewish laws, bars Jews from legal and public service 1933 Event Franklin D. Roosevelt makes wine and beer with up to 3.2% alcohol legal 1929 Event 1st legal pass in Canada was thrown by Gerry Seiberling and 1st reception by Ralph Losie of Calgary Altomah-Tigers against Edmonton 1927 Birthday John Freeland, Legal advisor U.K. foreign office 1923 Event Attorney General says it is legal for women to wear trousers anywhere 1919 Event 1st legal Sunday baseball game in New York City (Phillies beat Giants 4-3) 1919 Event Giants play their 1st legal Sunday home game, 35,000 see Phils win 4-3 1918 Event Sunday baseball is made legal in Washington D.C. 1911 Birthday Edward Levi, professor, Intro to Legal Reasoning 1906 Event 1st legal forward pass (Brandbury Robinson to Jack Schneider) 1906 Death William Dale, international legal consultant, dies 1887 Event Racetrack betting becomes legal in New York state 1878 Event Silver dollar became U.S. legal tender 1866 Event Gold coins from the Sydney Mint become legal tender in Canada 1866 Event Metric system becomes a legal measurement system in U.S. 1857 Event Congress outlaws foreign currency as legal tender in U.S. 1763 Death James Kent, Fredericksburgh NY, legal scholar (Columbia), dies 1749 Event Georgia Colony reverses itself and rules slavery is legal 1586 Event Johan van Oldenbarnevelt becomes Dutch chief legal advisor 311 Event Emperor Galerius legal recognizes Christians in the Roman Empire
