Flurry of Court Filings Seeks To Clarify Status of Same-Sex Marriage In Florida

Florida counties find themselves uncertain about the legality of same-sex marriage in the state.  In August, in Grimsley v. Scott, a Florida federal district court issued a preliminary injunction barring various state officials from enforcing the state's ban on same-sex marriage, and ordering the Clerk of Court of Washington County, Florida to issue marriage licenses to a same-sex couple that brought the lawsuit. The court temporarily stayed these orders, but with the denial of further stays by higher courts (see prior posting), the orders are scheduled to take effect on Jan. 5. That leaves in some confusion the effect of the court's injunction.  On Dec. 24, the Clerk of Washington County filed an Emergency Motion for Clarification with the court asking it whether the court's injunction means that marriage licenses must be granted to all same-sex couples, or only to the couple specifically named in the injunction.

In response, the ACLU filed a legal memo (full text) arguing that because the court found Florida's same-sex marriage ban facially unconstitutional, the order means that all county clerks must issue marriage licenses to all same-sex couples. The court also ordered the state to respond to the motion for clarification. In its response (full text), the Attorney General said that the court is best situated to determine the reach of its own order.

Meanwhile this week an advocacy group filed state court lawsuits against two separate sets of local Florida officials seeking to prevent them from issuing licenses or performing same-sex marriages after Jan. 5. The complaint (full text) in Florida Family Action, Inc. v. Ramirez, (FL Cir. Ct., filed 12/29/2014), seeks a writ of mandamus ordering the Osceola County Clerk to deny any application for marriage license by same-sex couples.  The complaint (full text) in Florida Family Action, Inc. v. Dyer, (FL Cir. Ct., filed 12/30/2014) seeks a writ of mandamus barring the mayor of Orlando and a local judge from performing same-sex wedding ceremonies.  In both cases, the officials had expressed their intent to move ahead with same-sex marriages.

Orthodox Jewish Group To Lobby For More New York Day School Aid

The Forward reported this week that the Orthodox Union, the organization representing non-haredi Orthodox Jewish synagogues, is planning a multi-million dollar, multi-year advocacy campaign to try to increase governmental aid for Jewish day schools in New York.  The OU already has ten full-time staff members working on the project, and will be adding more. New York state has over 150,000 students in Jewish day schools and yeshivas. Tuition at some New York Jewish schools exceeds $30,000 per year.

President Sends Kwanzaa Greetings

Last Friday the White House released a statement (full text) from the President and First Lady extending warmest wishes to those celebrating Kwanzaa.  The festival, which celebrates African American heritage and culture, began Dec. 26 and extends through Jan. 1.

Kentucky Legislature Hearing Rooms Now Have "In God We Trust" Signs

In Kentucky, state officials have hung eleven "In God We Trust" signs in committee rooms in the state Capitol building and Capitol annex.  According to AP, the signs-- paid for with private donations-- were authorized by legislation enacted earlier this year. Similar signs already hang in the House and Senate chambers.  Sen. Albert Robinson, sponsor of the legislation authorizing the signs, said: "This is America. I feel like this nation was and is established by God.  We need to show the same respect in the committee rooms that we show in the Senate and House chambers." The signs put up in the committee rooms are temporary ones, because the permanent ones would not be ready by the time the legislature reconvenes on Jan. 6.

Egyptian Court Bans Jewish Pilgrimage Festival To Moroccan Rabbi's Grave

In Egypt on Monday, the Administrative Court of Alexandria banned an annual Jewish religious pilgrimage that has been held since 1979 to the grave of the Moroccan rabbi Yaakov Abu Hatzira. The grave, in the Nile Delta, was declared an Egyptian cultural monument by the government in 2001. AP and World Bulletin report on the court's action not only banning the annual festival that honors Abu Hatzira's birth, but also ordering that the shrine be removed from the list of Egyptian antiquities and barring the removal of Abu Hatzira's remains to Israel as Israel had requested through UNESCO.  The annual festival which has drawn hundreds of Jews each year from Israel, Morocco and France has been controversial. The court's action came in response to a complaint filed by local residents objecting to the mingling of men and women at the festival and the consumption of alcohol. They also contended that security for the festival was disruptive to them.

Rhode Island Supreme Court Rejects Firefighters' Objections To Riding In Pride Parade

In Fabrizio v. City of Providence, (RI Sup. Ct., Dec. 19, 2014), the Rhode Island Supreme Court dismissed a suit brought by two Catholic firefighters who objected on religious grounds to serving as part of the crew on a fire engine in a gay pride parade. They contended that "their beliefs as Catholics do not allow them to “support, encourage, nor condone homosexual behavior.'" The Court said, however:

The respondents' appearance in the parade, solely as members of the Providence Fire Department, did not constitute a form of expression on their part. Rather, it was simply the accomplishing of a task assigned to an engine company of the Providence Fire Department, and the individuals chosen to carry out that assignment cannot be said to have engaged in personal speech by carrying out their work as public servants.

Courthouse News Service reports on the decision.

District Court Enjoins Latest ACA Non-Profit Contraceptive Coverage Mandate Accommodation

In Catholic Benefits Association LCA v. Burwell, (WD OK, Dec. 29, 2014), an Oklahoma federal district court granted a preliminary injunction against the latest Affordable Care Act contraceptive mandate accommodation to a Catholic nonprofit association that was formed to assist Catholic employers in providing health benefits.The court said:

Although CBA members may be “effectively exempt” from directly providing contraceptive services if they comply with the notification requirement, they are not exempt from the notification requirement itself. This requirement also violates their religious beliefs because, they argue, it requires them to be complicit in indirectly providing their employees with contraceptive services.

After thus finding a substantial burden on plaintiffs' religious exercise, the court concluded that prior 10th Circuit precedent (its decision in  Hobby Lobby) has held that the government does not  have a compelling interest in requiring contraceptive coverage, and the Supreme Court in Hobby Lobby did not conclusively rule otherwise.

Former Navy Instructor Sues Claiming Anti-Muslim Bias

CAIR has announced the filing last week of a religious discrimination lawsuit against the United States Navy on behalf of a former barracks instructor whose reenlistment was blocked.  The complaint (full text) in Berts v. Mabus, (ED CA, filed 12/23/2014) alleges that the plaintiff Jonathan Berts, an African-American Muslim, was denied his request to wear a beard as a religious accommodation. For four years prior to making has religious accommodation request, Berts had worn a beard under a medical waiver. He alleges that after his religious accommodation request was denied, his commander refused to promote him, subjected him to questions about his beard, to racist and anti-religious jokes, and questioned his loyalty to the United States.  He was removed from his teaching duties and assigned to watch duty in a roach-infested building guarding piles of old office equipment.  Berts claims his treatment burdened his religious exercise in violation of RFRA and the Administrative Procedure Act and seeks a return to active duty along with an accommodation to allow him to grow a beard.

Uncertainty Continues On Religious Expression In the Military

Stars and Stripes yesterday reports at length on the ambiguity in the military's current policy on expression of religious speech that is illustrated by a mandatory suicide prevention briefing last month for soldiers at Ft. Benning. At the session, a chaplain, Capt. Joe Lawhorn, told members of a Ranger battalion that faith in Jesus is what helped him through depression, though he also presented non-religious methods of combating suicide. Handouts to soldiers were a sheet which on one side gave secular suicide prevention tips, and on the other presented Christianity as the solution. According to Stars and Stripes:

After the incident was publicized by the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers advocacy group, Fort Benning’s command warned the chaplain to cool the religious content in mandatory briefings.

In response, Lawhorn’s attorney, Michael Berry — of the Liberty Institute, a competing advocacy group — cited the wording in the [military's] new policy in a letter demanding that the Army explicitly approve religious content in the chaplain’s briefings.

Recent Articles of Interest

From SSRN:

• Muhammad Munir, Rights of the Child: An Islamic Perspective on Preventing Violence, Abuse, and Exploitation of Children and Pakistani Law, (December 14, 2014).
• Lorenz Blume, Bernd Hayo & Stefan Voigt, Correlates and Determinants of Direct Democracy, (December 23, 2014).
• Kenneth L. Marcus, Higher Education, Antisemitism, and the Law, (December 22, 2014).
• Moslay Uddin & MD Ayatullah, Muslim Law: Judicial and Legislative Changes Around the World, (December 17, 2014).
• Peter Hostettler, The Protection of Cultural Property in Armed Conflict and Peace Operations – Achievements and Challenges Ahead, (December 24, 2014).
• Deborah A. Widiss & Andrew Koppelman, A Marriage by Any Other Name: Why Civil Unions Should Receive Federal Recognition, (Indiana Journal of Law and Social Equality, Forthcoming).
• Tristin Green, On Employment Discrimination and Police Misconduct: Title VII and the Mirage of the 'Monell Analogue', (Boston University Law Review, 2015, Forthcoming).

Defendant's Failure To Touch Bible During Oath Leads NJ High Court To Remand

In Davis v. Husain, (NJ Sup. Ct., Dec. 23, 2014), the New Jersey Supreme Court remanded a case to the trial court for a different judge to consider whether religious considerations tainted a $12,500 verdict in a sexual harassment suit by a woman against her former employer. As described by the Supreme Court:

After the verdict was rendered and the jury was discharged, but before post-trial motions were argued and the judgment was entered, the trial judge conducted an ex parte discussion with the jurors, which was not recorded. According to the judge, one juror noted during that discussion that she was surprised that defendant had not placed his hand on the Bible before he testified. The judge did not make a record of the juror’s observation, but he did inform counsel as later events reveal.

The court indicated in a footnote:

Husain’s certification, submitted during post-verdict motion practice, indicates that Husain’s action was based on his religious beliefs. He states that it is his religious belief that the left hand should never be placed on a holy book.” He also states that he is “of Indian descent and the left hand is not used for any official purpose because of our culture.” 

The Supreme Court also banned for the future any post-verdict communications between a trial judge and jurors outside the presence of counsel. New Jersey Advance Media reports on the decision.

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases

In McElroy v. Mathena, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 175956 (WD VA, Dec. 22, 2014), a Virginia federal district court dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies a Muslim inmate's complaint regarding his removal from the Ramadan fast list.

In Webb v. Californa Department of Corrections, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 177044 (ED CA, Dec. 22, 2014), a California federal magistrate judge dismissed with leave to amend an inmate's complaint regarding lack of funds, denial of religious items, chapel time and outdoor worship space for the Asatru/Odinic religion.

Airlines Facing Religious Objections By Passengers

At least two instances have been reported in the past ten days in which U.S. airlines have had to deal with passengers who have become unruly because of religion-related objections to some aspect of the flight.  The New York Post reports on an incident last Tuesday in which American Airlines escorted a passenger off a flight he had just boarded at LaGuardia Airport.  The passenger, despite attempts to calm him, continued to shout at the flight crew objecting to the gate agent and flight attendant wishing passengers "Merry Christmas." He shouted that not everyone celebrates Christmas. Passengers applauded his ouster from the plane.

Meanwhile Failed Messiah reports on a December 20 incident at New York's JFK Airport on a Delta flight to Israel. Haredi (Jewish ultra-Orthodox) men refused to take their assigned seats that turned out to be between two women. Other passengers, many of them Israeli, refused to move. The flight finally took off 30 minutes late after an American passenger changed seats to accommodate the men.

Top Dozen Church-State and Religious Liberty Developments In 2014

Each year in December, I attempt to highlight the most important  Church-State and Religious Liberty Developments of the past year.  Usually I identify the top ten stories.  This year however was so full of important developments that I have had to increase my nominations to the Top Dozen.  As always, I invite reader feedback on my selections and omissions.  Here they are:

1. The Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision allowed closely-held corporations to assert religious exercise rights of their owners.

2.  In the wake of the Supreme Court's Windsor decision, lower courts strike down same-sex marriage barriers in an increasing number of states.  The 6th Circuit is the main dissenter.

3.  Religiously-affiliated schools, hospitals and charities continue to object that administrative accommodations to the Affordable Care Act contraceptive coverage mandate are insufficient to protect their religious liberty rights.  Dozens of cases are in litigation over the issue.

4. In Town of Greece case, Supreme Court upholds non-coercive sectarian invocations at city council meetings.

5. The increasing strength of ISIS in Syria, Iraq and elsewhere threatens religious minorities in the Middle East and revives dream of a Caliphate.

6.  State RFRA proposals become more controversial as they clash with LGBT rights.

7.  Challenges to Internal Revenue Code parsonage allowance and church filing exemptions survive constitutional attack for plaintiffs' lack of standing.

8.  Satanic Temple becomes player in battle to diversify religious displays on public property, participate in literature distribution in schools and assert other religious rights.

9.  Courts continue to uphold New Jersey and California bans on sexual orientation change therapy for minors.

10. 6th Circuit requires strict causation to prove religiously motivated hate crimes against Amish.

11. Series of cases challenging definition of "church plan" under ERISA threatens legality of several Catholic hospital pension plans.

12. NLRB decision announces new test for asserting jurisdiction over unionization efforts at religiously-affiliated colleges and universities.

Earlier this month Religion Newswriters Association released their list of the Top 10 Religion Stories in 2014. (They too selected 12 stories, finding ties in two instances.) UPDATE: Also see the year's top picks from Don Byrd at Blog From the Capital.

Employment Discrimination Claim Filed By Muslims Against Hertz In Minneapolis

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports on an employment discrimination lawsuit filed Tuesday against Hertz Corp. by five Somali-American Muslims and an Ethiopian Muslim, all of whom were fired in 2007 from their jobs cleaning and servicing Hertz vehicles at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport after a dispute about overtime. The suit claims that Hertz managers interrupted their prayers, regularly demeaned their religion and imposed arbitrary prayer times and rules on Muslims. The EEOC issued plaintiffs a right-to-sue letter in September after years reviewing complaints.

Jehovah's Witness Title VII Claim Survives Summary Judgment Motion

In Shepherd v. Gannondale, (WD PA, Dec. 22, 2014), a Pennsylvania federal district court refused to grant summary judgment to defendant, a Catholic residential care facility, in a suit by a former employee, a Jehovah's Witness, alleging religious discrimination.  Plaintiff Sharon Shepherd worked as a Fiscal Supervisor for defendant, Gannondale, until she was terminated or forced to resign.  Gannondale is a ministry of the Sisters of Our Lady of Charity which provided holistic and therapeutic care for young women placed by the court. It operated using the "Sanctuary Model of Trauma Informed Care" which involves "community meetings" which all clients and staff were required to attend. Shepherd stopped attending community meetings in the Fall of 2012 because she concluded they involved too much "anti-Christian content" for her to be a part of them.  She disagreed in general with the Sanctuary Model because it was not based on Biblical teachings.

The court concluded that Shepherd had stated a prima facie case of disparate treatment based on religion as well as a claim of failure to accommodate her desire to be excused from community meetings.  The court said in part:

Defendant appears to be invoking a sort of “esprit de corps” argument that has never been applied outside the context of the military and the police force....  No doubt every employer would argue that allowing even one employee to be excused from an organization-wide practice would undermine that practice as a whole and might encourage other employees to seek exemptions. Nevertheless, Title VII requires reasonable accommodation of employees’ sincerely held religious beliefs unless an employer demonstrates that such accommodation would subject it to an undue hardship..... Defendant’s argument would allow the undue hardship exception to swallow the rule of religious accommodation and it is rejected.

Obamas Send Christmas Greetings

The White House today posted Weekly Address: Happy Holidays from the President and First Lady (transcript) (video). The President said in part:

... today, our family will join millions across the country in celebrating the birth of Jesus – the birth not just of a baby in a manger, but of a message that has changed the world: to reach out to the sick; the hungry; the troubled; and above all else, to love one another as we would be loved ourselves.

He also thanked American troops as the combat mission in Afghanistan comes to an end:

... as our troops continue to transition back home—back to our businesses, our schools, our congregations, and our communities—it’s up to all of us to serve them as well as they have served us.

The First Lady urged Americans to go to the JoiningForces website for more information on supporting troops, veterans and military families.

Meanwhile, The Independent reports that in Britain the Queen's annual Christmas message will be broadcast this afternoon. Channel 4's Alternative Christmas Message was given this year by British Ebola survivor William Pooley. The Queen is likely to praise aid workers fighting Ebola and is also likely to highlight this year's commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I.

State Freedom of Conscience Clause Does Not Cover Environmentalist Who Refuses To Mow Lawn

In Gul v. City of Bloomington, (IN App., Dec. 22, 2014), an Indiana state appellate court rejected constitutional and statutory challenges to a city ordinance that prohibits grass in yards from being over 8 inches tall.  Environmentalist Alexander Gul claimed, among other things, that the citation he received for for refusing to mow his lawn violated his free expression rights and his freedom of conscience protected by the Indiana constitution. The court recounts:

Gul allows his yard to grow naturally and does not apply chemicals, mow, water, or fertilize it. He explains that his decision to maintain a natural yard is a statement of his sincerely held environmental belief that the overuse of chemicals, water, and lawnmowers to maintain a traditional lawn is harmful to the environment.

Bloomington officials disagree and view Gul’s yard as merely overgrown.

Rejecting Gul's under the state constitution's conscience clause, the court said:

... we find that Article 1, Section 3 was intended to apply to religious, rather than non-religious, matters of conscience. But even if it includes non-religious matters of conscience, it protects only the right to hold one’s own opinions, and does not protect the right to act on one’s own opinions in contravention of the law. 

Lawsuit Challenges Courthouse Lawn Nativity Scene

Despite a disclaimer placed on the courthouse lawn Nativity Scene in Baxter County, Arkansas (see prior posting), this week a federal court lawsuit was filed challenging the display on Establishment Clause grounds.  The complaint (full text) in American Humanist Association v. Baxter County, Arkansas, (WD AR, filed 12/23/2014), alleges that: "Religious and specifically Christian elements overwhelmingly dominate the County’s annual Nativity Scene display." It contends that a purported 2-month lease of the property on which the display stands to the Chamber of Commerce for $1 is "a sham attempt to insulate the County from responsibility...." Last year the County refused to allow two county residents to place a Happy Solstice Banner near the Nativity Scene. AP reports on the lawsuit.

DC Court of Appeals Grants Default Judgment Against North Korea In Torture Death of Christian Missionary

In Kim v. Democratic People's Republic of Korea, (DC Cir., Dec. 23, 2014), the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit awarded a default judgment against North Korea to the family of Reverend Dong Shik Kim who allegedly was abducted from China by North Korean agents, taken to a North Korean labor colony, tortured and then killed. Kim, a Christian missionary, was allegedly targeted for providing humanitarian aid to North Korean defectors and refugees who fled to China seeking asylum, and for his proselytizing defectors.  According to a 2008 Washington Post article:

Kim, whose wife and two children are U.S. citizens, had raised the ire of the North Korean government by helping its citizens flee the repressive regime and by attempting to convert North Korean athletes who attended the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

The suit against North Korea was based on the "terrorism exception" to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, allowing suits based on allegations of torture. The appeals court found that plaintiffs had produced sufficiently satisfactory evidence of torture to satisfy the requirements for entering a default judgment. The court concluded:

If the DPRK is unhappy with that outcome and has evidence that it has not tortured and killed Reverend Kim, it, like any defendant in default, may ask the district court to vacate that judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b).

McClatchy News reports on the decision.

Court Orders Sikh Temple Meeting With Quorum Requirement Dropped

According to the Marysville, California Appeal-Democrat, a Sutter County, California state trial court judge last Friday issued an interim order in a dispute over control of a Sikh Temple in Yuba City.  Members who have wanted to hold a meeting to challenge action of the Temple's board of directors have been unable to do so because of the by-laws' unrealistic quorum requirement.  The bylaws require a quorum of over 50% of the formal members of the Temple.  A membership list compiled in 2008 lists over 4400 members, many of whom have died or moved away.  Only 500 people are signed up to receive the Temple's monthly newsletter.  An attempt to obtain a quorum in May 2013 led to 2000 people showing up, but a number still short of a quorum.  The court Friday ordered a special meeting of members to be held, and ordered the Temple to drop the quorum requirement for the meeting. The Temple's attorney argues that the interim order is unconstitutional because it infringes on the Temple's internal governance.

Jury Awards Catholic School Teacher Fired For In Vitro Fertilization Damages of $1.95M

The Fort Wayne (IN) Journal Gazette reports that a federal jury last Friday awarded former Catholic school teacher Emily Herx $1.95 million in damages in her Title VII sex discrimination claim against the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. Herx's teaching contract was not renewed after she became pregnant through in vitro fertilization. The Catholic Church considers in vitro fertilization immoral, and the Diocese argued that Herx had agreed to uphold Catholic teachings. Herx argued that the Diocese would not have refused to renew a male teacher's contract under the same conditions. While finding substantial actual damages, the jury awarded Herx only a nominal $1 in punitive damages.  It is likely that the Diocese will appeal the decision. (See prior posting.) [Thanks to Wall of Separation for the lead.]

NLRB Announces New Test For Jurisdiction Over Religious Colleges

In an important decision handed down last week, the National Labor Relations Board-- interpreting the U.S. Supreme Court's 1979 decision in NLRB v. Catholic Bishop of Chicago-- developed a new test for when the Board will assert jurisdiction over religiously-affiliated colleges.  In a 3-2 decision in Pacific Lutheran University, (NLRB, Dec. 16, 2014), the Board held:

... when a college or university argues that the Board cannot exercise jurisdiction over a petitioned-for unit of faculty members because the university is a religious one, the university must first demonstrate, as a threshold requirement, that First Amendment concerns are implicated by showing that it holds itself out as providing a religious educational environment.  Once that threshold requirement is met, the university must then show that it holds out the petitioned-for faculty members themselves as performing a specific role in creating or maintaining the college or university’s religious educational environment, as demonstrated by its representations to current or potential students and faculty members, and the community at large.

Applying this test, the majority held that

... although [Pacific Lutheran University] meets the threshold requirement of holding itself out as creating a religious educational environment, it does not hold out the petitioned-for contingent faculty members as performing a religious function in support of that environment.

In a dissenting opinion, Member Johnson said in part:

The majority decision today represents yet another effort to push back against the Supreme Court’s mandate that we avoid striving for jurisdictional boundaries that could violate the First Amendment. Although the majority announces its intent to “articulate a new test that is . . . faithful to the holding of Catholic Bishop,” the majority’s new test falls short in that goal in many regards.

Member Miscimarra, dissenting in part, agreed with this portion of Member Johnson's dissent.  The Board's decision also rejected the argument that the faculty involved were exempt managerial employees.

Chronicle of Higher Education reports on the NLRB's decision. [Thanks to Larry Hansen for the lead.]

Court Says Muslim Witness Cannot Take Oath On Quran

Today's Legal Intelligencer reports on a decision by a Pennsylvania trial court judge holding that a Muslim woman could not take her oath as a witness using the Quran. In Musaitef v. Musaitef, (Philadelphia County, PA Common Pleas), the court read 42 PA.C.S. Sec. 5901 strictly to require that the witness either take the oath on the Christian Bible or else make a non-religious affirmation. The case, a custody dispute between a Muslim mother and Muslim father, is still ongoing.  The father, who took his oath on the Bible, raised the objection to the mother using the Quran.  Apparently the mother's insistence on a Quran was intended to suggest that the father's testimony was untruthful because his Islamic faith included the belief that oaths taken on non-Muslim religious books do not bind him to tell the truth.

British Tax Tribunal: Company Can Assert Religious Rights As Alter Ego of Owner

In Exmoor Coast Boat Cruises Ltd. v. Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs, (UK FTT, Dec. 17, 2014), the United Kingdom First-Tier Tribunal Tax Chamber held that a business entity can assert religious liberty rights where it is the alter ego of a natural person (or possibly a group of persons) whose rights are being infringed.  At issue was whether Exmoor Coast, a company, solely owned by Matthew Oxenham, could claim an exemption from mandatory electronic filing of Value Added Tax returns. VAT regulations permit paper filing by any "practising member of a religious society or order whose beliefs are incompatible with the use of electronic communications...."

The court concluded that while the alter ego test was met, it was not shown that the electronic filing requirement interferes with Oxenham's manifestation of his religion or belief. His objections relate to the amount of CO2 created by the Internet and its impact on climate change.  However Oxenham was willing to use the Internet for some purposes.  The court concluded:

... it was [Oxenham's] belief that the internet should not be used save where he judged it economically necessary to do so.... [T]hat belief does not attain a level of cogency, seriousness, cohesion and importance such that it should be protected. This is because his belief ... is not so strongly held that he will make economic sacrifices for it; further, [Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights] cannot have been intended to protect a belief system which allows the practitioner to pick and chose when it suits him to adhere to his principles as that would amount to allowing people to pick and choose when they can be compelled to obey the law.

Law & Religion UK has more on the case.

India Considering Anti-Conversion Law

According to a report from AFP on Saturday, in India, Parliament is paralyzed over a proposed law against "forced conversion." The term is used in India to describe not just conversion under threat of violence, but also conversion through inducements such as offers of free food or education.  Hindu nationalists connected to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have become more aggressive in their conversion efforts. The Daily Times reports

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) militant wing, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has started a forced conversion movement called homecoming. The RSS believes that these Muslims and Christian were originally Hindus and the homecoming movement is simply an attempt to bring them back to where they belong.

RSS was accused of converting some 50 poor Muslim families a week ago, promising the converts ration cards and other financial incentives.  A larger planned conversion of Christians and Muslims on Christmas day has been called off.  Amit Shah, leader of BJP, says the party favors a new law.

Recent Articles of Interest

From SSRN:

• Jane Mair, Belief in Marriage, (Forthcoming in the International Journal of the Jurisprudence of the Family).
• Ines Michalowski, What is at Stake in Military Chaplaincy When Muslims Join the Ranks? An International Comparison, (Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies Research Paper No. 2014/126 (Dec. 2014)).
• Linda C. McClain, Corporate Conscience and the Contraceptive Mandate: A Dworkinian Reading, (Forthcoming in the Journal of Law and Religion, Vol. 30, No. 1, February 2015).
• Thomas J. McSweeney, Magna Carta, Civil Law, and Canon Law, (Magna Carta and the Rule of Law (Daniel Magraw et al eds., 2014)).

From SmartCILP:

• Symposium on Ronald Dworkin's Religion Without God. Introduction by James E. Fleming; articles by Jeremy Waldron, Stephen L. Carter, Paul Horwitz, Andrew Koppelman, Cecile Laborde, Linda C. McClain, Micah Schwartzman and Steven D. Smith. 94 Boston University Law Review 1201-1355 (2014).

Cert. Petiiton Filed In 6th Circuit ACA Non-Profit Contraceptive Mandate Case

On Dec. 12, a petition for certiorari was filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in Michigan Catholic Conference v. Burwell. (Docket entry). The full text of the petition is available on Westlaw at  2014 WL 7166539. In the case, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals denied preliminary injunctions to several Catholic non-profit entities that object to the Affordable Care Act contraceptive coverage accommodation. (See prior posting.) BNA Daily Report for Executives [subscription required] reports on the filing of the petition.

President Signs Bill Extending Until 12/31 Tax-Free Charitable IRA Distributions

On Friday, President Obama signed H.R. 5771, the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014. Section 108 of the Act extends until Dec. 31, 2014 the provision allowing tax-free distributions from IRA's for charitable purposes. The benefit applies to IRA holders who are at least 70 1/2 years old.  The Wall Street Journal reports in more detail on the provision.

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases

In Wakefield v. Indermill, (9th Cir, Dec. 18, 2014), the 9th Circuit affirmed dismissal of an inmate's complaint that he was denied weekly communion and foot washing services in the security housing unit.

In Presley v. Scott, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 172742 (ND AL, Dec. 15, 2014), an Alabama federal district court, while dismissing a number of plaintiff's claims, allowed an inmate to proceed against certain of the defendants for seizing and destroying his medicine bag and other religious items.

In Johnson v. Lewis, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 173411 (WD NC, Dec. 16, 2014), a North Carolina federal district court held that a Hebrew Israelite inmate seeking a kosher diet can move ahead with claims for injunctive relief against defendants in their official capacities, but dismissed damage and individual capacity claims.

In Surles v. Cater, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 174236 (SD GA, Dec. 17, 2014), a Georgia federal district court accepted a magistrate's recommendation and dismissed an inmate's claim that his free exercise and equal protection rights were infringed when on one occasion he was denied a pre-Ramadan meal.

In Ben-Levi v. Brown, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 175040 (ED NC, Dec. 18, 2014), a North Carolina federal district court upheld enforcement of a prison's rule that Jewish Bible study with fewer than ten participants must be led by a rabbi.

In Smith v. Perlman, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 175341 (ND NY, Dec. 18, 2014), a New York federal district court dismissed an inmate' complaint that the number of Islamic holy days designated as family events was reduced from 2 to 1; he was denied attendance at congregate religious services while in keeplock; and that his request to incorporate halal meats into his therapeutic diet was refused.

In Pickering v. California Department of Corrections, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 175656 (ED CA, Dec. 18, 2014), a California federal magistrate judge dismissed, with leave to amend, an inmate's complaint that authorities have hindered his practice of his Asatru/Odinic faith in numerous ways including denial of chapel times on a few occasions, denial of outdoor worship space and of various items needed for worship.

A suit was filed this week in an Ohio federal district court on behalf of a Muslim woman who alleges that, over her objections, she was forced to attend Christian prayer services while serving a 60-day sentence in the Cuyahoga County (OH) jail. Cleveland.com reports on the lawsuit. (Full text of complaint in Majeed v. Cuyahoga County, (ND OH, filed 12/18/2014)). [Thanks to Matthew Besser for the lead.]

Chabad Rabbis At George Washington University Litigate Over Contract

Thursday's Baltimore Jewish Times reports on an unusual lawsuit just concluded in D.C. Superior Court between two Chabad rabbis:

“American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), et al. v. Yehuda Steiner, et al.” pits Rabbi Levi Shemtov, executive vice president and director of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad), one of the most recognizable and politically connected Jewish leaders in the country, against [Rabbi Yehuda] Steiner and his wife, Rivky Steiner, the couple Shemtov appointed in 2008 as shluchim, or emissaries, to coordinate Chabad’s presence on George Washington University’s campus.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Neal Kravitz ruled on Monday that Rabbi Steiner, popular with students, was in breach of his contractual obligations that had previously been worked out between the two rabbis through a Jewish religious court. Kravitz enjoined Steiner from leading further Chabad activities at GWU. However, Kravitz also ruled that the non-compete provision in the Steiners' employment contract was unenforceable, leaving open the possibility that Steiner might move his outreach to D.C. students to nearby Georgetown University.

Supreme Court Denies Stay of Florida Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

The U.S. Supreme Court late yesterday afternoon denied an application for a stay in a Florida same-sex marriage case while the decision is on appeal to the 11th Circuit.  The Supreme Court's order (full text) in Armstrong v. Brenner, (Dec. 19, 2014) results in a district court decision handed down in August taking effect on January 5. (See prior related posting.)  Justices Scalia and Thomas dissented from the Court's action.  SCOTUSblog reports on the Court's action.

Westboro Baptist Attempt To Intervene In Same-Sex Marriage Case Again Rejected

In Marie v. Moser, (D KA, Dec. 18, 2014), a Kansas federal district court for a second time (see prior posting) refused to allow Westboro Baptist Church to intervene as a party in a lawsuit challenging the Kansas ban on same-sex marriage. The court said that WBC's arguments were based on speculation about future possible claims by same-sex couples.  WBC was allowed to continue to file amicus briefs to assert arguments it would like the court to consider.

Hawaii Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments On Challenge To Marriage Equality Law

Yesterday the Hawaii Supreme Court heard oral arguments in McDermott v. Abercrombie, a case challenging the state legislature's authority to enact the Hawaii Marriage Equality Act of 2013. The Court, on its website, summarizes the issues:

Respondents argue, inter alia, that the Hawai`i Marriage Equality Act is unconstitutional because in 1998, the people of Hawai`i voted to amend article 1, section 23 of the Hawai`i Constitution to state that “the legislature shall have the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples.” Respondents argue that the intent of this amendment was to constitutionally reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples, so the legislature was not authorized to pass the Hawai`i Marriage Equality Act. In response, Petitioners argue that article 1, section 23 allows the legislature to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples, but does not require it to do so. Petitioners also argue that Respondents lacked standing to bring this lawsuit.

An audio recording of the full oral arguments is available from the Court's website. AP reports further on the case.

Lawsuit Against Hebrew National Dismissed In State Court With No Appeal Filed

American Jewish World reported yesterday on the end of the long-running lawsuit against ConAgra Foods challenging the adequacy of its standards for kosher slaughter of the beef used in manufacturing Hebrew National hot dogs.  As previously reported, in April the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals remanded the case to state court.  Then, in a little noticed October 6 opinion (reported on at the time by American Jewish World), a Minnesota state court judge dismissed the case, saying that a civil court cannot make a judgement about whether religious standards for kosher slaughter have been met.  He added:

At bottom, the ultimate remedy for those who feel they don’t have confidence in the degree of kashrut observed in the production of [Hebrew National] products is not to purchase them.

Now the time for appeal of that dismissal has run with no appeal being filed.

Chicago Travel Agent Charged With Mail Fraud In Hajj Visa Misrepresentations

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois yesterday announced the arrest on mail fraud charges of Chicago travel agent Rashid Minhas.  A criminal complaint charges that Minhas sold Hajj travel packages to some 50 customers for a total of $525,000, falsely representing to them that the package contained the required visa to enter Saudi Arabia. It is alleged that Minhas knew that his company, Light Star Hajj, was not authorized by Saudi Arabia to obtain visas.

Israel's High Court Approves Rabbinical Court's Retroactive Invalidation of Conversion

On Wednesday, a 3-judge panel of Israel's High Court of Justice ruled that a rabbinical court had authority to retroactively cancel a conversion of a woman to Judaism where the woman misled the rabbinical court about her intention to lead an Orthodox Jewish life style.  Times of Israel and Jerusalem Post report that the rabbinical court acted two years after approving the conversion because convert Yonit Erez completely changed her Orthodox lifestyle shortly after her conversion. Critics of the decision say there is no basis in Jewish law, short of bribery, for reversing a conversion. Reform Rabbi Uri Regev says that false promises to maintain an Orthodox lifestyle are common among converts from the former Soviet Union in Israel.

FFRF Lacks Standing To Challenge Church Filing Exemptions

In Freedom From Religion Foundation v. Koskinen, (WD WI, Dec. 17, 2014), a Wisconsin federal district court held that Freedom From Religion Foundation and its local affiliate lack standing to challenge the Internal Revenue Service's  exemption of religious organizations from filing Form 990 annual reports, while requiring most other non-profit organizations to file. FFRF had never sought a similar exemption and disavowed any intent to do so. In reaching its conclusion, the court reversed its own holding to the contrary a year ago because of the intervening 7th Circuit decision in Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. v Lew. (See prior posting).

Kentucky Supreme Court Defines Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine

In St. Joseph Catholic Orphan Society v. Edwards, (KY Sup. Ct., Dec. 18, 2014), the Kentucky Supreme Court redefined the operation of the "ecclesiastical abstention doctrine" under Kentucky law. The Court held that the doctrine is not a bar to jurisdiction, but instead operates as an affirmative defense designed to allow both churches and other religious organizations independence from secular control.  At issue in the case was a challenge by a group of St. Joseph Home alumni to the action at an annual meeting of members taken after the existing Board had been unable to muster a high enough vote to remove one of its own members accused of harassing employees.  By a resolution passed overwhelmingly, the members replaced the existing Board members and amended the bylaws to add protections against Board-member misconduct. The Court concluded that a challenge to this action involves an issue of ecclesiastical governance that is covered by the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, and so remanded the case to the trial court for dismissal.

The practical effect of the court's procedural holding is that in the future defendants will be able to file an interlocutory appeal when a trial court refuses to apply the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, instead of proceeding as in this case by seeking a writ of prohibition from the Court of Appeals.

Meanwhile, it appears that while the Supreme Court's decision on issuing a writ of prohibition was pending, the trial court went on with the case.  WDRB reports that on Dec. 10, the trial court dismissed the challenge to the action at the annual meeting because the ousted trustees had an opportunity to attend a second meeting at which the bylaw amendments were to be reconsidered, and they chose not to attend. This report also sheds more light on the nature of the leadership contest:

The lawsuit pitted a largely aging group of trustees – among them former residents of the Frankfort Avenue orphanage -- against a younger faction with corporate ties.

[Thanks to Tom Rutledge for the lead.]

Congress Gives USCIRF 9 More Months of Life

Earlier this week, Congress passed and sent to the President H.R. 5816 (full text), extending the life of the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom until Sept. 30, 2015.  The bill is retroactive to Dec. 10, the day before the Commission's current authorization expired. (See prior posting.) The White House website lists this, along with other bills awaiting the President's signature and provides an online opportunity for individuals to comment on the bill.

Group Releases 2014 World Report On Rights of Atheists and Humanists

As reported by Religion News Service, on Dec. 10 the International Humanist and Ethical Union released Freedom of Thought 2014: "A Global Report  on the Rights Legal Status and Discrimination Against Humanists, Atheists and the Non-religious." The 542-page report surveys country-by-country the rights and treatment of non-believers. The report highlights the "steady march" of militant groups such as ISIS and Boko Haram, as well as "a long-standing prohibition of 'apostasy' and 'blasphemy' associated with Islam that is perpetuated by many modern Islamic states."

White House Hosts Two Hanukkah Receptions [UPDATED POST]

President and Mrs. Obama hosted the first of two White House Hanukkah receptions late yesterday afternoon as again this year the guest list was too long for only a single reception.  In his remarks (full text), the President first discussed the freeing earlier in the day of Alan Gross who had been held by Cuba for over five years.  The traditional lighting of the menorah focused on two students and a parent from a bilingual school in Jerusalem that brings Jewish and Muslim students together. Their school was hit by arsonists two weeks ago. They built a menorah around the theme of their school's values and brought it to be used at the reception. Introducing them, President Obama said:

So Inbar and Mouran and their fellow students teach us a critical lesson for this time in our history:  The light of hope must outlast the fires of hate.

The White House posted a 10-minute video of the President's remarks and those of Rabbi  Bradley Shavit Artson who led the blessings in lighting the Hanukkah candles.

A few hours later the President hosted the second reception. (Full text of remarks.)  At this reception, a menorah from children in Yemin Orde, a village in Israel founded in 1953 to provide a safe haven to orphans and young immigrants after the Holocaust, was used.  The candles were lit by a Yemin Orde graduate, along with Dr. Adam Levine who recently returned from fighting ebola in Liberia. Manhattan Rabbi Angela Buchdahl recited the blessings.

GAO Releases Report On IRS Oversight of Tax Exempt Organizations

Yesterday, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a 66-page report (full text) on IRS oversight of tax-exempt organizations.  The report recommended that the IRS develop better measures of enforcement performance; communicate more clearly with state charity regulators on allowed use of IRS information; and expand electronic tax-return filing for charities.

4th Circuit: Appeal of Injunction Against Sectarian County Board Prayer Fails On Procedural Grounds

In Hudson v. Pittsylvania County, Virginia, (4th Cir., Dec. 17, 2014), the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed on procedural grounds an appeal from a district court's injunction against opening County Board meetings consistently with Christian invocations.  The appeals court held that a notice of appeal filed 175 days after the district court entered summary judgment for plaintiff was untimely.  The appeals court also affirmed the district court's later post-trial award of some $53,000 in attorneys' fees. Chatham Star Tribune reports on the decision.

While this appeal was pending, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the Town of Greece case. Pittsylvania County quickly asked the district court to dissolve its injunction.  As previously reported, the district court held however that "unlike in Town of Greece, where invited clergy and laypersons offered the invocations, the Board members themselves led the prayers in Pittsylvania County."  The district court said it was willing to modify the injunction to make it consistent with the holding in Town of Greece, but it did not have jurisdiction to do so until the 4th Circuit to which the case had been appealed granted at least a limited remand.  Yesterday's affirmance of the attorneys' fee award and dismissal of the remainder of the appeal presumably does not amount to a limited remand.                                                          

Fayetteville Anti-Discrimination Law Repeal Applauded By Group As Victory For Religious Values

According to KNWA News, voters in a special election in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Tuesday voted 52% to 48% to repeal an extensive anti-discrimination law (full text) enacted by city council last August. At least one major conservative Christian group applauded the repeal as a victory for religious liberty.  Liberty Counsel in a press release yesterday said:

... Fayetteville voters repealed a law ... that required churches, Christian schools, and other para-church ministries to hire homosexuals for "secular" jobs (such as school teachers), allowed men to use women’s restrooms and locker rooms, and required Christian business owners to service "same-sex weddings."....  Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel, said "... This ordinance sought to criminalize Judeo-Christian values."

Britain's Supreme Court Punts On Whether Narrow Abortion Law Conscience Rights Violate Religious Freedom

In Greater Glasgow Health Board v. Doogan, (UK SC, Dec. 17, 2014), the United Kingdom's Supreme Court gave a narrow interpretation to the conscience clause in Britain's Abortion Act 1967, but left open the question of whether that interpretation violates religious freedom rights or amounts to religious discrimination.  Section 4(1) of the Abortion Act provides that, with certain exceptions:

no person shall be under any duty, whether by contract or by any statutory or other legal requirement, to participate in any treatment authorised by this Act to which he has a conscientious objection....

In a suit by two Catholic midwives who worked as labor-ward coordinators, the Court held that "participate in" should be read narrowly:

It is unlikely that, in enacting the conscience clause, Parliament had in mind the host of ancillary, administrative and managerial tasks that might be associated with those acts. Parliament will not have had in mind the hospital managers who decide to offer an abortion service, the administrators who decide how best that service can be organised within the hospital..., the caterers who provide the patients with food, and the cleaners who provide them with a safe and hygienic environment. Yet all may be said in some way to be facilitating the carrying out of the treatment involved. The managerial and supervisory tasks carried out by the Labour Ward Co-ordinators are closer to these roles than they are to the role of providing the treatment which brings about the termination of the pregnancy. “Participate” in my view means taking part in a “hands-on” capacity.

However, in an important qualification, the Court said:

So, even if not protected by the conscience clause in section 4, the petitioners may still claim that, either under the Human Rights Act or under the Equality Act, their employers should have made reasonable adjustments to the requirements of the job in order to cater for their religious beliefs. This will, to some extent at least, depend upon issues of practicability which are much better suited to resolution in the employment tribunal proceedings (currently sisted pending the resolution of this case) than in judicial review proceedings such as these.

The Court also issued a press release summarizing the decision, and BBC News reports on the decision. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.]

Chabad of California Liable For $845K Damages Under False Claims Act

In United States ex. rel. Kozak v. Chabad-Lubavitch, Inc., (ED CA, Dec. 9. 2014), a California federal district court granted summary judgment in a False Claims Act  qui tam action, finding Chabad of California liable for $844,985 in treble damages and statutory penalties.  The court concluded that Chabad of California misappropriated Department of Homeland Security grant funds intended to pay for video surveillance and other security equipment for Chabad and two of its affiliated institutions. (See prior related posting.) Chabad executed documents assuring the government that it would comply with specific financial management standards in receiving advances of the grant funds to assure that the funds would be used for the purposes for which they were awarded. However Chabad had no written financial management procedures, deposited the grant funds into its general checking account and used $272,495 of the funds for non-grant purposes.

While Chabad argued that there were triable issues of fact as to whether it submitted false claims "knowingly," the court said:

The undisputed facts in this matter show that Chabad knew about the requirements attendant to NSG Program grants in general and to drawdown advance requests in particular, yet had no compunction whatsoever in failing to adhere to those requirements. Under the circumstances, it is clear to the Court that Chabad acted at minimum “knowingly” as defined by the FCA.

The court did not grant summary judgment against two Chabad affiliates that were also defendants, finding that triable issues of fact remain as to their liability.  Jewish Journal reports on the court's decision.

DOJ Announces Settlement of RLUIPA Zoning Suit On Behalf of Minnesota Mosque

The Minnesota United States Attorney's Office announced yesterday that a settlement agreement in principle has been reached in its RLUIPA lawsuit against the City of St. Anthony Village (MN).  The suit challenges the city's refusal to issue a conditional use permit to the Abu Huraira Islamic Center-- with its largely Somali Muslim membership-- that sought to purchase an existing business center in an area zoned "light industrial," use the basement for worship space and continue to rent the remainder of the building to existing business tenants. (See prior posting.)  The agreement, which must still be approved by the St. Anthony City Council, the Justice Department and the federal district court, calls for the city to create a Planned Use Development that will allow the Islamic Center to use the basement space for worship. The city will also undertake various other initiatives to prevent future religious discrimination.  The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports in more detail on the settlement terms.

Suit Challenges Creche On Indiana Courthouse Lawn

The Freedom from Religion Foundation, through the Indiana ACLU, filed suit in federal district court yesterday challenging the constitutionality of a life-size city-owned Nativity Scene on the lawn of the Franklin County Courthouse in Brookville, Indiana. The complaint (full text) in Freedom From Religion Foundation v. Franklin County, Indiana, (SD IN, filed 12/16/2014), (which includes a photo of the display) says that while the city also displays a series of plastic reindeer on the lawn, they are not part of the same display and are barely visible during the day when they are not lighted. Both the ACLU and FFRF have issued press releases announcing the filing of the lawsuit.

UPDATE: Under an agreement reached by the parties on Dec. 19, the Nativity Scene will remain up only until the day after Christmas, and FFRF will drop its request for a preliminary injunction. According to a press release by Thomas More Society, litigation on plaintiffs' request for a permanent injunction will now continue on a more normal time schedule.

Ohio School Mentorship Grants Are Required To Include Faith-Based Partners

The Ohio legislature earlier this year appropriated $10 million for a Career Advising and Mentoring Grant Program, specifying:

The program shall award competitive matching grants to provide funding for local networks of volunteers and organizations to sponsor career advising and mentoring for students in eligible school districts.... Eligible school districts are those with a high percentage of students in poverty, a high number of students not graduating on time, and other criteria as determined by the State Superintendent. Eligible school districts shall partner with members of the business community, civic organizations, or the faith-based community to provide sustainable career advising and mentoring services. [Am H.B. 483, Sec. 263.320]

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that at an informational meeting held in Cleveland last week, school districts that are potential applicants were told by an Ohio Department of Education representative that: "each application must include a school district (or charter school) plus a business and a place of worship or faith-based organization in its partnership." A United Way representative that sits on the advisory panel for the program said the same thing.  Americans United takes issue with the requirement-- added in Department of Education rule making-- that a faith-based organization is required to be part of each partnership.

Audio of 10th Circuit Arguments In 3 Non-Profit ACA Challenges Now Available

On Dec. 8, the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in three cases in which religious non-profits claim that the Obama Administration's regulations insufficiently accommodate their objections to the contraceptive coverage mandate under the Affordable Care Act.  The cases are Little Sisters of the Poor v. Burwell (see prior posting); Southern Nazarene University v. Burwell (see prior posting); and Reaching Souls International v. Burwell (see prior posting).  Links to audio recordings of all three arguments are now available from the court's website. [Thanks to Tom Rutledge for the lead.]

Satanic Temple Temporary Display At Michigan Capitol OK'd As Nativity Scene Plans Falter

Under rules of the Michigan State Capitol Commission (full text), temporary displays, which may not remain over night, may be scheduled on the Capitol grounds.  The Detroit Free Press reports that the Commission has approved a request from the Detroit chapter of the Satanic Temple for a display from Dec. 21-23. The display will consist of a snake wrapped around the Satanic cross presenting a book as a holiday gift. John Truscott, a member of the State Capitol Commission, said the Commission could not discriminate in approving applications, but added: "Personally, I think this is absolutely repulsive and I'm very frustrated by it. I don't appreciate a group trying to hijack a Christian holiday."

Meanwhile an already-approved request to place a Nativity Scene on the Capitol grounds is not moving ahead because the out-of-stater who requested it has been unable to find someone to remove the display each evening as required by state rules.  All of this takes place as the Michigan legislature is debating a controversial religious freedom bill. HB 5958, the Michigan Religious Freedom Restoration Act, has been approved by the House and is now under consideration by the state Senate.

Kerry Asks Vatican For Aid In Relocating Guantanamo Detainees

Catholic News Service reported that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in Rome yesterday, met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.  As part of their discussion, Kerry asked the Vatican for "support in the search for appropriate humanitarian solutions for the current detainees" at Guantanamo Bay so that the Obama Administration can move on its commitment to close the prison at Guantanamo.

9th Circuit En Banc Hears Arguments In "Innocence of Muslims" Case

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday, sitting en banc, heard arguments in Garcia v. Google Inc.  Ten of the 11 judges on the en banc panel heard the oral arguments live.  It was announced that Judge Berzon was unable to be in the courtroom, but would listen to the video of arguments at a later date. The video of the full oral arguments is available on the 9th Circuit's YouTube channel.  In the case, the 3-judge panel, in a 2-1 decision, held that a preliminary injunction should be granted to require the controversial film "Innocence of Muslims" to be removed from YouTube. The suit was filed by Cindy Lee Garcia who acted in a portion of the film, had received death threats because of it, and claimed that the video posting amounted to a copyright infringement of her performance. (See prior posting.)  All the pleadings and amicus briefs filed with the 9th Circuit are available here. Courthouse News Service reports on yesterday's oral arguments. [Thanks to How Appealing for the lead.]

Pastor Brings Unusual Anti-Gay Marriage Protest To Courthouse

In Jackson, Mississippi on Friday, a Baptist pastor brought an unusual protest against the legalization of same-sex marriage to the federal courthouse. Christian Post reports that Reverend Edward James of Bertha Chapel Missionary Baptist Church brought a horse clothed in a wedding dress, with white flowers in its harness, to the courthouse, along with a protest sign reading in part: "Do you take this horse to be your unnatural wedded spouse.... This might even be possible if the ban on same-sex marriage is lifted...."  James hopes to change the mind of the federal district judge who struck down Mississipi's same-sex marriage ban last month.  The court's order has been stayed pending appeal. (See  prior posting.)

Report Released On Counseling of Sex Abuse Victims At Bob Jones University

Last week, Bob Jones University released a 300-page Final Report (full text) growing out of an investigation by the non-profit organization GRACE of the University's inadequate counseling of students who disclosed that they were sexually abused as a child, or were sexually abused after they enrolled at Bob Jones University or its Academy. Calling attention to the Report, yesterday's Daily Beast says in part:

At this point, there are so many sex scandals among conservative religious organizations, we’re no longer surprised by any of them. The latest revelation—that for decades, the evangelical Bob Jones University blamed victims of sexual assault and discouraged the prosecution of predators—should be shocking, but probably isn’t.

Yet, the recent report on BJU’s misconduct is different. Unusually for such a document, it makes a theological case against sexual abuse—but in so doing, it points to the deep roots of rape culture that may not be so easily uprooted.

Indictment Charges Fraud In Export of Supposed Halal Meat

On Dec. 5, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa announced the indictment of three related corporations and two corporate officials on charges of extensive fraud in the export sale of meat represented to be "halal." The indictment in United States v. Aossey, (ND IA, Dec. 5, 2014) (full text) charges defendants with conspiracy to make and use false statements on documents, sell misbranded meat, commit mail and wire fraud and sell misbranded meat.  This indictment expands on charges and individuals targeted in an earlier indictment in October.  (Background).  Export Law Blog summarizes the new charges against Midamar Corp., Islamic Services of America, ISA, Inc., Jalel Aossey and William Aossey:

The initial indictment charged William Aossey Jr. with falsely stating on export certificates that meat had been slaughtered in a Halal-certified slaughterhouse.

The new indictment adds Mr. Aossey’s sons and Midamar itself.... [A] central part of Midamar’s [defense] was that even if the meat was not slaughtered in Halal-certified slaughterhouses, the meat was still Halal meat as represented by the company.

The facts set forth in the new indictment seem to be directly aimed at this argument, going into the specific ways in which the slaughtered meat did not comport with the Halal standards that Midamar detailed on its own website.

Lawsuits Seek To Reform Curriculum of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Schools

The Jerusalem Post yesterday reported at length on lawsuits in New York state and Quebec, Canada to force ultra-Orthodox Jewish schools to meet government-mandated secular curriculum standards. The suit in New York was brought by Naftuli Moster, founder of YAFFED (Young Advocates For Fair Education), while the suit in Quebec was brought by Yochanan Lowen, a former member of the Satmar hassidic community. In an article last month, the New York Times reported on the issue from the perspective of Mr. Moster.  The issue has also been a heated one in Belgium where educational authorities are pressing Orthodox Jewish school on the content of their secular curriculum.

Recent Articles of Interest

From SSRN:

• Jianlin Chen, Deconstructing the Religious Free Market, (3 Journal of Law, Religion and State 1-24 (2014)).
• Russell G. Pearce & Adam Winer, From Emancipation to Assimilation: Is Secular Liberalism Still Good for Jewish Lawyers?, (in Jews and the Law (Ari Mermelstein, Victoria Saker Woeste, Ethan Zaidoff & Marc Galanter, eds. 2014)).
• Ira C. Lupu & Robert W. Tuttle, Religious Exemptions and the Limited Relevance of Corporate Identity, (in The Rise of Corporate Religious Liberty (Zoe Robinson, Chad Flanders, and Micah Schwartzman, eds.), Oxford University Press, 2015).
• Katherine Kidd Young, The Institution of Marriage: Mediation of Nature and Culture in Cross-Cultural Perspective, (December 8, 2014).
• Khaled A. Beydoun, Antebellum Islam, (58:1 Howard L.J. (2015 Forthcoming)).
• Albert D. Spalding, Faith-Based Arbitration Clauses as a Global Alternative to Dispute Resolution, (Review of Business & Finance Studies, v. 5 (2) p. 1-8, 2014).
• John M. Breen, Abortion, Religion, and the Accusation of Establishment: A Critique of Justice Stevens' Opinions in Thornburgh, Webster, and Casey, (Ohio North University Law Review, Vol. 39, No. 3, 2013).
• Steven Douglas Smith, The 'Jurisdictional' Conception of Church Autonomy, San Diego Legal Studies Paper No. 14-177, Dec. 2014).
• Gregory S. Gordon, Speech Along the Atrocity Spectrum, (Georgia Journal of International and Comparative Law, Vol. 42, No. 2, 2014).
• Elizabeth A. M. Searing, Charitable (Anti)Trust: The Role of Antitrust Regulation in the Nonprofit Sector, (Nonprofit Policy Forum, 5(2), 261–288).
• Perry Dane, Prayer is Serious Business: Reflections on Town of Greece, (Rutgers Journal of Law and Religion, Forthcoming).

From SSRN (Non-U.S. Law):

• Hanna Lerner, Critical Junctures, Religion, and Personal Status Regulations in Israel and India, (Law & Social Inquiry, Volume 39, Issue 2, 387-415, Spring 2014).
• Aristidis Tsatsos, The Geopolitical Role of Orthodox Russia within a Planetary Context -- A Hellenic Perspective?, (September 27, 2014).
• Yuko Nishitani, Global Citizens and Family Relations, (Erasmus Law Review, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2014).
• Etah Fidelis Ewane, Rwanda Redux: The Latent Genocide in the Central African Republic and the Failure to Protect, (December 3, 2014).
• Paula Gerber, Kristine Tay & Adiva and Sifris, Marriage: A Human Right for All?, (2014 36(4) Sydney Law Review 643).
• Ivor Richardson, The Calculation of Interest, (20 New Zealand Journal of Taxation Law and Policy 231, 2014).
• Gerald Waltman, Prosecuting ISIS (December 11, 2014).

From elsewhere:

• Steven H. Sholk, A Guide To Election Year Activities of Section 501(c)(3) Organizations,(2014 update, PLI).

Backgrounder On Lawsuit By NJ Methodist Congregation Against United Methodist Church

The Record today carries a long article about a lawsuit filed this summer by Alpine Community Church (in Alpine, New Jersey) against the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church over ownership of church property. Here are some excerpts from the article:

Here in one of America’s priciest ZIP codes, a bitter dispute is bubbling at a beloved local landmark over religion and money, property and race, spilling from its pews and into the courts.

At its heart is ownership of the Alpine Community Church, a sanctuary with a storied history, millions of dollars in assets, and a tiny congregation. Its trustees have voted to cut ties with the United Methodist Church and say they want to preserve it as a church for all who want to worship there..... 

Court papers attest to the turmoil, with trustees alleging church funds were used to fuel the “luxurious lifestyle” of a former pastor appointed by the conference, causing some members to stop attending services and making donations.....

The former pastor at the center of the controversy is the Rev. Hae-Jong Kim, who roughly six years ago, in his retirement, was assigned to serve the Alpine church part time. Kim was the first Korean-American bishop in the UMC but resigned that post nearly a decade ago as part of the resolution of an unrelated complaint filed against him.

The lawsuit accuses Kim of misusing church funds; trustees allege that when evidence of forged checks, missing donations and more was presented to the conference, nothing was done....

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases

In Chavis v. United States, (3d Cir., Dec. 12, 2014), the 3rd Circuit affirmed the dismissal of an inmate's claim that a correctional officer's pat down search of his genital area violated his free exercise rights because his religion prohibits homosexual activity.

In Goninan v. Holmes, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 169213 (D OR, Dec. 4, 2014), an Oregon federal magistrate judge dismissed an inmate's challenge to the prison system's ban on the Satanic Bible and certain other Satanic publications.

In Powers v. Clarke, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 170322 (ED VA, Dec. 8, 2014), a Virginia federal district court dismissed an inmate complaint that the prison system classified the Nation of Gods and Earths as a gang rather than a spiritual organization.

In Hamilton v. Carr, 2014 Cal. App. Unpub. LEXIS 8811 (CA App., Dec. 11, 2014), a California appeals court affirmed the dismissal of an inmate's claim that a correctional officer violated California's Bane Act when he pulled plaintiff's kufi cap off his head and yelled "get out of here."

Congress Gives Final Passage To Defense Authorization Act Including Provisions On Mt. Soledad Transfer

On Friday, the Senate gave final approval and sent to the President for his signature H.R. 3979, the  National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (full text). The Act includes a provision (Sec. 2852) calling for the sale of the Mt. Soledad Veteran's Memorial to the privately incorporated Mount Soledad Memorial Association.  The provision, sponsored by Sen. Diane Feinstein, is intended to end the long-running litigation challenging the Memorial's cross as a violation of the Establishment Clause. (See prior posting.) Politico reports on the Act's passage.

The Act also contains provisions regarding the National Park System, including (Sec. 3051) a requirement that the Secretary of the Interior conduct studies to determine whether various sites should be designated as national parks.  Among these sites are properties in Flushing, New York relating to the history of religious freedom during the era of the signing of the Flushing Remonstrance; and Atlanta's West Hunter Street Baptist Church (background).

The Act as passed does not include provisions in an earlier House version relating to military chaplains and religious expression. (See prior posting.)

Saperstein Confirmed As International Religious Freedom Ambassador

In a roll call vote yesterday, the U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Rabbi David Saperstein to be Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom.  The vote was 62-35. All but one of the "Nay" votes were cast by Republicans.  As reported by The Forward, Saperstein is the first non-Christian to hold the international religious freedom ambassadorship.  Some conservative Christian groups had opposed Saperstein, who has been director of Reform Judaism's Religious Action Center, because of his disagreement with the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision and his generally liberal views on other issues. (The Blaze, July 29, 2014).

Dallas Eases Restrictions On Feeding of Homeless; Settles Lawsuit

Last year, a Texas federal district court held that Dallas'  Food Establishment Ordinance imposing strict requirements on organizations feeding the homeless violates the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. (See prior posting.) On Wednesday Dallas City Council, as part of a  settlement of the lawsuit, adopted amendments lightening the burdens on those feeding the homeless.  As reported by Think Progress:

The original Dallas ordinance required charities that wished to feed the homeless to provide bathrooms and running water, effectively restricting the groups to a handful of sites rather than allowing them to go to where the need was greatest. It also required them to register with the city no matter how large or small their food program might be, with the threat of a $2,000 fine for violators.....

Instead of running water and hand-washing facilities, street feeding programs may now use hand sanitizer. They only need to notify the city if they plan to serve more than 75 people, and must abide by some basic food safety guidelines.

According to the Dallas Morning News, the city also voted to pay a total of $250,000 for damages and attorneys fees to to Big Hart Ministries Association and Rip Parker Memorial Homeless Ministry.

Facebook Ad In Burma Lands Bar Managers In Jail For Insulting Religion

A court in Yangon, Burma yesterday denied bail to the owner and two managers of VGastro, a new upscale bar and tapas restaurant in the city's embassy area who are charged with insulting religion through an ad on the bar's Facebook page.  AFP reports that the offensive ad depicted a psychedelic mock-up of the Buddha wearing DJ headphones to promote a cheap drinks night.  The three defendants were charged with violating Myanmar Penal Code Sec. 295 (defiling a sacred object with the intent to insult religion) and Sec. 295A (insulting religious beliefs through written words or representations). Each charge carries a punishment of up to two years in prison.  The court ruled that these were no-bail offenses and remanded the men into custody until the next hearing on Dec.18.  A monk speaking for the Burmese Patriot Monks Union said: "We will wait and see what action the authorities take. We will do what we need to, if the authorities do not take action."

In Germany, Humanist Students Now Can Get Holiday Excused Absence

AP reported yesterday that in Germany, the schools in Berlin have officially recognized World Humanist Day (June 21) as a holiday for which Humanist students can obtain an excused absence. This places the day on the same plane as religious holidays such as All Saints Day, Yom Kippur or Eid al-Fitr for which students of other faiths can get excused absences. [Thanks to Scott Mange for the lead.]

Colorado Supreme Court Hears Arguments On School Vouchers

The Colorado Supreme Court yesterday heard oral arguments (audio of full arguments) in Taxpayers for Public Education v. Douglas County School District.  In the case, the state court of appeals upheld  Douglas County, Colorado's "Choice Scholarship Program" under which parents of eligible students can obtain vouchers covering a  portion of the tuition costs of sending their children to certain private schools, a majority of which have religious affiliations. (See prior posting.)  AP reports on the oral arguments.

CDC Proposes Recommendations Strongly Favoring Male Neonatal Circumcision

Last week the federal government's Centers for Disease Control released for comment (Dec. 2 Federal Register) recommendations for health-care providers who are counseling male patients and parents regarding male circumcision. (Full text of Recommendations).  The recommendations focus on the benefits of male circumcision in preventing transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, and strongly recommend neonatal circumcision of boys-- a practice consistent with Jewish and some Muslim traditions.  The recommendations are positive, but more cautious, as to circumcision of adolescent and adult males. The San Francisco Chronicle reports on reactions to the recommendations.

Polish Constitutional Tribunal Rules Ban On Ritual Slaughter Unconstitutional

Poland's Constitutional Tribunal ruled yesterday, in a 5-4 decision, that a ban on kosher and halal slaughter of animals is unconstitutional. JTA reports that the ruling came in a case filed by the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland and other organizations claiming that the ritual slaughter ban that went into effect last year violates the European Convention on Human Rights. As previously reported, in late 2012 the Constitutional Tribunal held that Jewish and Muslim ritual slaughter of animals without first stunning them violates Poland's animal protection laws.  That ruling ended a $500 million industry in the country of processing halal and kosher meat for export. Poland's Parliament will now take up a bill drafted by the National Council of Agricultural Chambers that would legalize ritual slaughter. Jerusalem Post reports on the tensions between local Polish Jewish leaders and the Brussels-based European Jewish Association that arose over choice of strategies to fight the ritual slaughter ban.