Month: March 2019
There are several important religious freedom cases percolating through the courts nationwide, one or more of which may end up before the newly configured U.S. Supreme Court, which is now split 5 to 4 in favor of religious freedom. These cases give the Court the chance to uphold the First Amendment rights to freely exercise religion and engage in free speech.
In last year’s Masterpiece Cakeshop case, the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly ruled in favor of the Christian baker in Colorado who refused to specially bake a cake for a gay wedding based on his sincere religious beliefs. Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Jack Phillips, the Christian owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop bakery in Colorado, an attorney asked him to create a cake designed pink on the inside and blue on…
In March of this year, Justice Kavanaugh, joined by Justice Alito and Justice Gorsuch, stated they will oppose religious discrimination by the government.
In March of this year, in a case called Morris County v. Freedom From Religion Foundation, the U.S. Supreme Court, because the factual record was not properly developed, decided not to take a case involving religious discrimination. However, Justice Kavanaugh, joined by Justice Gorsuch and Justice Alito, stated that, when the factual record is complete, the Court should accept this case for review and rule against religious discrimination. This case involves a New Jersey Supreme…
In early 2019, in King v. Warner Pacific College, the Oregon Court of Appeals held that, under an Oregon statute, a Christian school can expressly discriminate against a job applicant on the basis of their religion, and can prefer applicants who are Christian. State statutes like these should be kept in mind because they supplement the First Amendment Constitutional right of Christian schools and churches to freely exercise their religion in the employment process.
Early this year, the Oregon Court of Appeals decided King v. Warner Pacific College. The plaintiff in that case is “of the Hebrew faith.” He sued the defendant, a Christian College, after he unsuccessfully applied to be an adjunct psychology professor. The College has a written policy requiring “each employee to affirm a personal faith in Jesus Christ.” Plaintiff refused to do that. Also, the College intends that “a Christian worldview be integrated into all…
National churches have a much stronger basis to be dismissed from a child sex abuse case based on the conduct of pastors or other local church agents, even if a local congregation faces liability. This is because of principles of agency law recognized even in anti-church states like Oregon.
Unfortunately, many churches and religious schools are facing multi-million dollar lawsuits based on child sex abuse that allegedly occurred, often decades ago, involving ministers, teachers, or other agents. But while the local church may face liability in such cases, national churches often have a complete defense based on principles of agency law. A corporate defendant is typically not vicariously liable for intentional torts like sexual battery of a child. But even in the few states…
