Law in a Changing Society: Reconstructing Marriage

The 2016 Eugene Dupuch Distinguished lecture was presented by the Hon. Dame Anita Allen, DBE, President of the Court Appeal of The Bahamas, on June 14, 2016 at the British Colonial Hilton Hotel.

In her lecture Dame Anita addressed jurisprudential matters relating to marriage focusing in particular on the juristic nature of marriage in The Bahamas and exploring issues such as what is marriage, whether marriage has changed, whether the marriage laws of The Bahamas have adapted to the changes if any and, if not, whether they need reconstructing, and if so, how ought they to be re-fashioned.

“The juristic nature of marriage in The Bahamas may not simply turn on whether there is a definition of marriage in the Marriage Act, or whether the English common law definition of marriage was received as a part of our law, but that it may ultimately turn on whether marriage is a constitutional right guaranteed to all.” For the full text of Dame Anita’s address, click here. 2016 Distinguished lecture – Hon Dame Anita Allen DBE.

The Eugene Dupuch distinguished lecture is a tribute to the life and work of the Hon. Eugene Dupuch Q.C. after whom the Eugene Dupuch Law School is named. It aims to bring eminent judges, jurists and law practitioners to share their views and experience on topical legal/socio issues with the legal fraternity and the wider community