Sotomayor Rings in New Year with Obamacare Stay: What Religious Groups Should Know

Justice Sonia Sotomayor made sure she was part of the number one story to start off
2014. In case anyone doubted leading New York City’s countdown to 2014 in Times
Square would put Sotomayor on the front page, a few hours before midnight she
temporarily blocked the federal government from requiring certain religiously
affiliated organizations to provide insurance coverage that includes birth
control. Continue reading “Sotomayor Rings in New Year with Obamacare Stay: What Religious Groups Should Know” →

How to Get Arrested for Marrying Same-Sex Couples

There has been a lot of hubbub going around news outlets, blogs, and social media about how Republicans have changed the law in Indiana (my beloved home state) to make it a crime for same-sex couples to apply for  marriage licenses and “for clergy to conduct weddings for gay couples.” (Emphasis from Americablog.)

Nothing New Here

As several sources have pointed out (again, blog and news outlet alike), these accounts are off target. The laws are not new, and they do not explicitly target same-sex couples. The only thing that is new is the name Indiana gives to the category of crime committed. Continue reading “How to Get Arrested for Marrying Same-Sex Couples” →

Cert. Denied in Indiana Church Property Dispute

The Supreme Court of the United States denied certiorari in a dispute between the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. and a congregation that decided to leave the denomination. The Indiana Supreme Court had returned the case to the trial court for facts to be determined at trial rather than by summary judgment. Access the Supreme Court list of today’s orders here, the Indiana Supreme Court’s decision here, and the vacated Indiana Court of Appeals decision here. Find audio and video of oral arguments at the Indiana Supreme Court here and at the Court of Appeals here.

The Indiana Lawyer reported the case here. It had previously reported on the Indiana Supreme Court’s grant of transfer here and its decision here. It had reported on the Court of Appeals decision here.

The case will now return to the Vanderburgh Circuit Court for further proceedings.

Have a question about legal issues affecting religious organizations? Let me know at questions@lawmeetsgospel.com or @LawMeetsGospel.

Indiana Town Asks Church to Remove Cross from Public Property

The Indianapolis Star is reporting that the Hoosier town of Dugger has asked Faith Community Church to remove a cross that says “Jesus Saves” after the town council received a letter from Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The Dugger Town Council unanimously voted to ask the church to remove the cross. Apparently the council sought to avoid a legal battle, which the town could not afford. The church’s pastor, Shawn Farris, is considering options.

The Star included comments from Americans United’s Executive Director, Rev. Barry Lyn, who said the group is “trying to provide a voice for the minority.” The report does not mention anyone in the community for whom Americans United was specifically referring to or to any comments supporting the measure on anything but financial grounds.

Dugger is located about thirty miles south of Terre Haute.

Teacher Files Suit after Roman Catholic School Fires Her for IVF Treatment

CNN reports that a teacher who was fired after receiving fertility treatments has sued the St. Vincent de Paul and the Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend. This could be a test of the United States Supreme Court’s recent decision Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. EEOC, which held that a teacher could not sue after being fired for threatening to bring suit against the school against church teachings because the teacher fell within the definition of minister.

Indianapolis TV station WRTV has coverage here.

The Huffington Post has a very good story here.
The Indiana Law Blog posts the complaint here.