by Rex Wockner
International News Briefs
The European Court of Human Rights ruled Sept. 28 that the United Kingdom discriminated against a woman in a same-sex partnership in the area of child support prior to the nation's civil-union law taking effect in 2004.
The case involved a British woman who divorced her husband and entered into a same-sex partnership. The law at the time did not recognize the partnership and the woman therefore was required to pay 33 pounds ($52) more per week in child support to her ex-husband than she would have had to pay if she had been recognized as being in a new partnership, married or otherwise.
The court said the higher assessment violated articles of the European Convention on Human Rights that protect property and prohibit discrimination, and it told the UK government to pay the woman 3,000 euros ($4,078) in damages and 18,000 euros in costs.
