Simon Bolivar dies

On December 17, 1830, South American revolutionary Simon Bolivar died in Colombia. During his lifetime, Bolivar led successful revolutions against Spanish colonial rule throughout South America. His efforts led to the independence of the modern-day nations of Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador and Bolivia, a nation named in his honor.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Western Allies approve new Germany constitution

On May 12, 1949, the Western allied powers, the United Kingdom, United States, and France, approved the Grundgesetz (Basic Law) as the legal foundation for the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). The document served as the constitution of West Germany during the Cold War and remains the governing law for the unified Germany today. Learn more about the legal framework of the German government from the Bundestag (Parliament of Germany).

Justice Harry A. Blackmun confirmed

On May 12, 1970, the Senate unanimously confirmed the appointment of Harry A. Blackmun to the United States Supreme Court. Justice Blackmun died in 1999, and was remembered on JURIST by several of his former law clerks. The Harry A. Blackmun Papers were released in 2004 by the Library of Congress.