Tag Archives: Group: Christian Legal Society

“The law school requires all students to pay fees to support student groups but then allows distribution of those fees to be skewed toward groups with viewpoints favored by the Student Bar Association.”

Religion Clause: “In Christian Legal Society v. Eck, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42980 (D MT, May 19, 2009), a Montana federal district court accepted a magistrate’s recommendations and upheld the University of Montana Law School’s non-discrimination and open-membership policies for recognized student groups.”

Attorneys with the Christian Legal Society’s (CLS) Center for Law & Religious Freedom are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the right of a religious student group to draw its leaders from those who share the group’s religious views.

Jaxdailyrecord.com: “Name: Roger K. Gannam . . . My main passion is legal advocacy in religious liberty matters. In this arena, I am an Allied Attorney of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), primarily engaged in pro bono religious liberty litigation in Jacksonville and throughout Florida. I do similar work with the Christian Legal Society (CLS) Center for Law and Religious Freedom . . . ”

LifeNews reports: “Three pro-life medical associations banded together to fight the lawsuit. Attorneys with the Christian Legal Society and the Alliance Defense Fund filed motions to intervene in that and two other lawsuits filed by top pro-abortion groups to overturn the Provider Conscience Clause.”

I will be a healer, and love all things that grow: “CMDA has organized the Freedom2Care Coalition, to fight for your right to not participate in abortions or other activities that violate your conscience. Coalition members include the Family Research Council, Concerned Women of America, the Catholic Church, Alliance Defense Fund, National Right to Life, The Christian Legal Society and others are joining daily.”

Both rulings allow public schools to “require religious organizations to include people in their groups who disagree with what the religious groups believe,” said attorney Jeremy Tedesco of the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal organization that is involved in both cases on behalf of the student groups. “That’s a violation of the First Amendment, free speech and freedom of religion.”

“In 2004, Hastings refused to recognize the Christian Legal Society because it wouldn’t allow gays and non-Christians to be members — violating the school’s nondiscrimination policy . . .”

The Religion Clause Blog: “Yesterday, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral argument in Christian Legal Society v. Kane. A recording of the full oral argument is available online.” CLS The Center Blog: Listen to Christian Legal Society v. Kane oral argument

The lawsuit, filed by attorneys with CLS and the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom, challenges Hastings College of the Law’s discrimination against the school’s student chapter of CLS.

The Daily Iowan: Student groups are at odds over funding for an allegedly discriminatory group. More than 100 UI law students and faculty members have signed a petition calling for UI administrators and student government officials to stop funding the …

Life News: The White House quietly announced on Friday that President Barack Obama is starting the process of overturning protections President Bush put in place to make sure medical staff and centers are not forced to do abortions. The move …

CNS: The Philadelphia-based Catholic Medical Association, which has some 1,100 members nationwide, has joined with the Christian Medical Association and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists in an effort to intervene legally against lawsuits filed by the attorneys …

The NC Register: A California court decision that looks like a “sure win” for religious freedom may in fact be only the first skirmish in a bigger battle. When a Lutheran high school expelled two 16-year-old girls on the grounds …

Greg Baylor writes at the CLS Blog: “NPR did a story this morning about the future of the faith-based initiative under the Obama Administration. The story featured a CLS Center case, Pedreira v. Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children (KBHC) . …

Medical News Today: Attorneys representing three antiabortion medical groups — the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, the Catholic Medical Association and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists — on Wednesday filed motions in the U.S. District Court in …

The California Court of Appeal yesterday held that the state’s anti-discrimination laws do not forbid California Lutheran High School from using religious criteria in making admission and discipline decisions.

Greg Baylor has this post discussing whether or not President Obama is likely to support a religious exemption in proposed ENDA legislation.

WorldNetDaily: Planned Parenthood: Force doctors to do abortions Experts for the Alliance Defense Fund and Christian Legal Society are gearing up to defend three laws that allow medical professionals to follow their conscience and not participate in abortions. “Medical professionals …

Attorneys with the CLS and the ADF filed motions to intervene Wednesday in three lawsuits that seek to invalidate a federal law protecting medical professionals from discrimination because they refuse to participate in abortions.

The CLS Blog carries this post that focuses on two astute observations made by Richard John Neuhaus in connection with current Religious Liberty debates.  The first focuses on assumptions underlying tax exemptions for religious organizations.  The second concerns the naked …

Greg Baylor writes on the CLS Blog: The Christian Science Monitor has published an article regarding the faith-based initiative under the Obama Administration. Our friend Stanley Carlson-Thies of the newly launched Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance is quoted extensively. Although the …

Citizen Link reports: Boise State University is being sued by six students after denying equal treatment to religious student groups. The university provides student fee funding to the Secular Student Alliance but refuses to provide funding to religious student groups …

Casey Mattox has this post at the CLS Blog that begins: “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued final regulations protecting healthcare workers from being forced to perform or assist in abortions against their conscience. ” Casey’s …

Attorneys with the Christian Legal Society’s Center for Law & Religious Freedom filed suit in federal court today against Boise State University officials challenging their discrimination against religious student organizations and other groups seeking funding from student government.

After a lawsuit by attorneys with the Christian Legal Society and Alliance Defense Fund, the Iowa Department of Administration has agreed to allow state employees to contribute to faith-based charities through its voluntary state employee charitable donation program.

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4772 ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND / CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY MEDIA ADVISORY December 9, 2008 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020 or www.telladf.org/pressroom CLS attorney available to media following hearing in Christian fraternity case Oral arguments Wednesday at …

Rick Garnett has this post on the Mirror of Justice Blog. It indicates: “I’m delighted to report that my former student, Julie Baworowsky, has won the Pew Religious Freedom Scholarship competition for her paper, ‘From Public Square to Market Square: Theoretical Foundations …

Greg Baylor reports on the CLS Blog reports: “Professor Rick Garnett of Notre Dame has prepared a critical response to “Excluding Religion,” an article in which Professor Nelson Tebbe argues that government may sometimes selectively exclude religion from its support …

PennLive.com reports: The Carlisle Area School Board voted 8-1 Thursday to allow teachers to participate in the annual See You at the Pole prayer event, provided they make clear “they are doing so in their individual capacities, and not in …

After Hein, taxpayers continue to have standing to sue for alleged Establishment Clause violations . . . but this standing extends only to suits to enjoin the violation.

Greg Baylor has this post on the CLS Blog wherein he questions Connecticut’s marriage ruling.  He concludes: The Connecticut Supreme Court plainly has nothing but disgust for traditional sexual ethics, even those rooted in religious commitment. Such rhetoric hardly bodes …

CLS reports on the Christian Newswire: “Beginning Monday, October 6, 2008, and continuing through Sunday, October 12, 2008, the Christian Legal Society, Advocates International, and Advocates North America, will co-host the 5th Christian Lawyer Global Convocation at the Hyatt Regency …

The Christian Newswire carries this report: “One of CLS’ most respected leaders and authors, Richard B. Couser, 67, of Concord, New Hampshire, died at home last week after a long battle with cancer.”

Greg Baylor has this post on the CLS Blog. The bill would make it unlawful: [t]o establish a rule or policy that prevents a person from displaying on the basis of that person’s religious belief, a religious symbol, object, or …

Is it impermissible sexual orientation discrimination for a private religious school to expel students for engaging in homosexual conduct in violation of the school’s code of conduct?

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ordered University of Florida officials Wednesday to stop discriminating against a Christian fraternity while a lawsuit filed by CLS and ADF on appeal.

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4619 ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND / CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY NEWS RELEASE July 23, 2008 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020 or www.telladf.org/pressroom CLS, ADF attorneys secure victory in Colo. student funding case 10th Circuit declares unconstitutional state’s …

“The State of Colorado provides scholarships to eligible students who attend any accredited college in the state . . . other than those the state deems ‘pervasively sectarian’ . . . We find the exclusion unconstitutional . . .

Greg Baylor reports on the CLS Center Blog: The New York Times reports that Bush Administration will reportedly propose a rule protecting the consciences of health care providers who, for moral and religious reasons, decline to participate in abortion. Denise …

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has issued this press release indicating that it is disappointed with Barack’s support of the Faith Based Initiative.  The sub caption reads: “But Watchdog Group Says Candidate’s Opposition To Religious Discrimination In …

http://www.alliancedefensefund.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4577 ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND/CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY NEWS RELEASE June 23, 2008 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT ADF MEDIA RELATIONS: (480) 444-0020 or www.telladf.org/pressroom ADF, CLS suit prompts Univ. of S.C. to correct funding inequities Christian student group was excluded from …

Greg Baylor writes on the CLS Blog: According to a recent New York Times article, local tax assessors in Northampton, Massachusetts, tried to impose taxes on Smith College, arguing that the women’s college engaged in sex discrimination and was thus …

he Center challenges the Colorado Commission on Higher Education’s denial of financial aid to CCU students because of the commission labeling of CCU – a Christian, accredited, liberal arts university – as “pervasively sectarian.”

And therein lies the challenge. Lawyers who integrate their belief system into their legal life say it’s the most fulfilling way to practice. But they all agree it isn’t easy . . . Fort Worth, Texas, litigator Thomas S. Brandon Jr. agrees.

Most courts would agree that the Constitution forbids the state from punishing Wheaton through the application of a ban on “marital status” discrimination in employment. However, it is less clear that the relevant Illinois statute actually exempts religious employers from the ban on marital status discrimination in the first place — as it should . . .

The CLS Center filed a motion for preliminary injunction today in Association of Faith-Based Organizations v. Anderson to request the enjoining of the Iowa “One Gift” state employee charitable campaign requirements demanding that applying charities certify that they do not engage in religious activity, including advocacy for religious viewpoints.

CLS’ The Center blog has linked to excerpts from a talk by U. of Mich. Law Professor Douglas Laycock that were delivered at the Emory Center for the Study of Law and Religion.  The title of Laycock’s talk: The Future …

. . . some governments are still reluctant to allow religious speakers to use public property. One such government is the New York City Board of Education, which has been defending its exclusion of the Bronx Household of Faith from meeting space for years . . .

It appears as though many homosexual rights advocates want the law to treat those who hold traditional views on human sexuality the same way the law treats racists . . .

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund are contending that the campaign excludes religious organizations from receiving those donations.

After a 10-year legal battle, a federal judge has dismissed an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit against a home providing social services for at-risk children. The lawsuit claimed the home, Sunrise Children’s Services, should not receive partial expense reimbursements from the government for its needy youth programs because of the home’s religious affiliation.

A Kentucky federal district court dismissed on standing grounds a lawsuit by Kentucky state taxpayers claiming that the state violated the Establishment Clause by providing funding to Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children (KBHC).

A new lawsuit in Iowa challenges the exclusion of religious charities from the list of organizations eligible to receive donations through a charitable giving program for state employees.

State claims religious nature of faith-based organizations excludes them from voluntary state employee donations; CLS, ADF attorneys file suit.

California challenged the Weldon amendment shortly after Congress approved it but the federal judge said it was premature.

“Public school officials in Prince George’s County, Maryland, were poised to charge Child Evangelism Fellowship a fee to use after-hours meeting space in public school buildings.” School officials reversed course after being contacted by CLS.

A Christian legal group has filed a complaint against the university in federal district court, alleging that the student organization funding system violates the First Amendment.

Angeline J. Taylor reports in the Tallahassee Democrat: Students win small victory in non-discrimination policies at FSU. The Tallahassee Democrat also reported on earlier rallies promoting homomsexual demands.

Attorneys with the Christian Legal Society and the Alliance Defense Fund filed suit today in federal court challenging the University of Montana School of Law’s decision to derecognize a CLS student chapter because of its Christian beliefs.

That is the title of this post over at the CLS blog. CLS is also reporting on a new article by Professor Carl Esbeck: When Accommodations for Religion Violate the Establishment Clause: Regularizing the Supreme Court’s Analysis.

Please welcome the CLS Center for Law and Religious Freedom