Category: religious exemptions

“Churches’ Bill of Rights” from Ind. Att’y Gen. & Lt. Gov.

On May 14, 2025, Indiana’s Attorney General Todd Rokita and its Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith jointly released a “Churches’ Bill of Rights: A Legal Guidebook.” The 30-page resource (available to download here) collects legal principles related to churches’ tax exemptions, speech protections, freedom to worship and live out religious principles, eligibility for government benefits, and governance. It also contains some guidance on public health and safety, some of which apply to religious individuals rather than churches. It explains Indiana and federal principles in a question-and-answer format. And it includes an appendix collecting Indiana and federal constitutional, statutory, and regulatory provisions.

This guidebook updates a letter Attorney General Rokita issued in 2024 ahead of that year’s election, which focused on tax exemption and advocacy. (Available here.)

The guidebook is a good resource for Indiana religious organizations as a starting point to understand their distinctive treatment under state and federal law. It is not a comprehensive collection of all legal principles that treat religious organizations or individuals distinctively, nor is it a replacement to professional legal or tax advice.

W. Dist. N.C.: Religious Pro-Life Demonstrators may proceed in challenge to COVID Order on religious, not free-speech grounds

W. Dist. N.C.: Religious Pro-Life Demonstrators may proceed in challenge to COVID Order on religious, not free-speech grounds. The court granted a motion to dismiss Global Impact Ministries, Cities4Life, and Cities4Life’s president’ claims against Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, to the extent they were based on the First Amendment’s Free Speech clause. But it allowed the prochoice group to proceed in its challenge based on the Free Exercise clause, pointing to recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions and the government’s permitting secular activities during the relevant period. Religion Clause has more details here. Read the order here.

N.D. Ga.: Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine bars court from deciding “representative status” in Bishop’s suit seeking indemnification of legal fees

N.D. Ga.: Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine bars court from deciding “representative status” in Bishop’s suit seeking indemnification of legal fees. The Church Litigation Update covers the case, Kawimbe v African Methodist Episcopal Church, Inc., Opinion and Order (N.D. Ga. Aug. 27, 2021), here. You can read the decision here.

W.D. N.C.: Catholic high school liable for firing teacher in same-sex marriage

W.D. N.C.: Catholic high school liable for firing teacher in same-sex marriage. The court rejected defenses based on the First Amendment—including the Ministerial Exception— Title VII, and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, among others. Religion Clause reports on the decision here. Read the decision here: Billard v. Charlotte Catholic High School, (W.D. N.C., Sept. 3, 2021).

“7th Circuit: Ministerial Exception Does Not Cover Hostile Work Environment Claims, Absent Tangible Employment Action7th Circuit: Ministerial Exception Does Not Cover Hostile Work Environment Claims, Absent Tangible Employment Action”

“7th Circuit: Ministerial Exception Does Not Cover Hostile Work Environment Claims, Absent Tangible Employment Action.” Religion Clause summarizes the decision here.

“Preparing for In-Person Religious Services: Legal Updates and Best Practices”

“Preparing for In-Person Religious Services: Legal Updates and Best Practices” Wagenmaker Law has an overview of several issues related to returning to in-person worship here.

“Preparing for In-Person Religious Services: Legal Updates and Best Practices”

“Preparing for In-Person Religious Services: Legal Updates and Best Practices” Wagenmaker Law has an overview of several issues related to returning to in-person worship here.