In Religious Rights Foundation of PA v. State College Area School District, (MD PA, Dec. 1, 2023), a Pennsylvania federal district court refused to dismiss a free exercise challenge to a school district’s policy that allowed district students enrolled in
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Elimination of Religious Exemption from School Vaccination Requirements Is Upheld
In Milford Christian Church v. Russell-Tucker, (D CT, Dec. 1, 2023), a Connecticut federal district court dismissed 1st and 14th Amendment challenges to Connecticut’s removal of its religious exemption from school vaccination requirements. The court said in part:To be…
Denial of Permission to Build Grotto Did Not Violate RLUIPA
In Frederic v. City of Park Hills Board of Adjustment, (KY App., Dec. 1, 2023), a Kentucky state appeals court held that a denying a church permission to build a grotto on its property does not violate the Religious…
Christian Non-Profit Cannot Rescind Job Offer Because of Same-Sex Marriage
In McMahon v. World Vision, Inc., (WD WA, Nov. 28, 2023), a Washington federal district court held that a Christian non-profit organization violated Title VII and the Washington Law Against Discrimination when it rescinded a job offer originally made…
British Appeals Court Upholds Preacher’s Fraud Conviction For Selling COVID Preventative
In Wiseman v. Rex, (EWCA, Nov. 20, 2023), Britain’s Court of Appeal upheld the fraud conviction of the head of the Kingdom Church for selling an oil mixture that he represented would protect against or cure COVID. According to…
Jewish Groups Sue Over Berkeley Law Student Organizations’ Antisemitic Policies
Suit was filed yesterday in a California federal district court against the University of California at Berkely and Berkeley Law School challenging growing antisemitic discrimination and harassment on campus. The complaint (full text) in Louis D. Brandeis Center, …
EU Court OK’s Neutral Ban on Employees Wearing Any Symbol of Belief
In Request for a preliminary ruling under Article 267 TFEU from the tribunal du travail de Liège (Labour Court, Liège, Belgium), (EUCJ, Nov. 28, 2023), the European Union Court of Justice, interpreting Council Directive 2000/78 (Equal Treatment in Employment)…
2nd Circuit: 1st Amendment Free Exercise Claim Requires Only "Burden", Not "Substantial Burden" On Religion
In Kravitz v. Purcell, (2d Cir., Nov. 27, 2023), the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals held that unlike suits under RFRA, an inmate alleging a 1st Amendment violation of his religious freedom need not show a “substantial burden”…
Attorney Fee Award to Freedom from Religion Foundation of $342K Recommended.
In another demonstration of the high cost to governmental entities of litigating First Amendment claims, a Texas federal magistrate judge in Freedom from Religion Foundation v. Abbott, (WD TX, Nov. 27, 2023) has recommended an award of attorneys’ fees to…
Kapparot Protesters Lose Suit Against City
In Karlan v. City of Los Angeles, (CA App., Nov. 27, 2023), a California state appellate court affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit brought by protesters who objected to an Orthodox synagogue’s pre-Yom Kippur kapparot ritual in which chickens…