School Board Member Dismissed As Defendant Cannot Continue In Case

In federal district court in Delaware, Judge Joseph Farnan has said that Indian River school board member Reginald Helms may not continue to be represented in court once he has been dismissed as a defendant in a case challenging the constitutionality of explicitly Christian prayers at school functions. Only the school district remains as a defendant, and it is being represented by lawyers for its insurance company. The Wilmington News-Journal today reports on the ruling. Helms, represented by high-profile Wilmington lawyer Thomas Neuberger, had contended that a judgment against the school district would still impact his personal First Amendment rights, but Judge Farnan said that if that were the case, Helms would need to file a separate suit. Meanwhile, the school district's insurers are claiming that they should be able to stop paying for the district's defense because the school board voted down a settlement offer from plaintiffs.