Howard M. Friedman

Juvenile Court Can Override Mother’s Religious Objection To Vaccinations

By Howard Friedman on September 17, 2019

In In re K. Y-B, (MD Ct. Special Appeals, Aug. 30, 2019), a Maryland appellate court upheld a Juvenile Court’s order allowing the Baltimore City Department of Social Services to consent to the routine vaccinations of an infant in its custody, despite Muslim religious objections to vaccination expressed by the child’s mother. The child, now seven moths old, was ordered into shelter care two days after his birth. The parents had a long history…

Religion Clause

New Immigration Rules Impact Foreign Religious Workers

By Howard Friedman on September 17, 2019

America: The Jesuit Review yesterday published an extensive analysis of how the Trump Administration’s new immigration rules defining those who may become “public charges” will adversely impact foreign religious workers. It explains in part: Men and women in religious orders—like the Dominicans, Jesuits, Franciscans or Carmelites, or Buddhist monks and others whose lives are devoted to their vocation—take vows of poverty. Their religious communities provide for their simple needs. But unlike previous “public charge” criteria…

Religion Clause

Student’s Distribution of Religious Valentines On Campus Is Protected Speech

By Howard Friedman on September 17, 2019

In Olsen v. Rafn, (ED WI, Sept. 13, 2019),a Wisconsin federal district court held that Northeast Wisconsin Technical College’s Public Assembly Policy violates the free speech rights of plaintiff, a student at the college. The school contended that Polly Olsen violated its policy by distributing hand-made Valentines with Biblical verses on them to fellow students, friends and staff at various places on campus. The school’s policy, both the one in effect at the time of…

Religion Clause

Arizona Supreme Court Backs Wedding Invitation Artists In Their Free Speech Claim

By Howard Friedman on September 17, 2019

In Brush & Nib. v. City of Phoenix, (AZ Sup Ct., Sept. 16, 2019), the Arizona Supreme Court in a 4-3 decision held that Phoenix’s public accommodation law cannot be applied to force owners of a wedding and event supply business to create custom wedding invitations for same-sex ceremonies when doing so violates their religious beliefs. The several opinions generated span 78 pages. The majority opinion of Justice Gould, focusing largely on the compelled speech…

Religion Clause

Britain Has New Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief

By Howard Friedman on September 16, 2019

In Britain last week, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office announced: The Prime Minister has today appointed Rehman Chishti MP as his new Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief. In his new position, Rehman Chishti will bring together efforts across the UK Government, with faith actors and civil society to promote the UK’s firm stance on religious tolerance abroad. The Special Envoy will continue to lead the implementation of the recommendations from the…

Religion Clause

Britain Has New Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief

By Howard Friedman on September 16, 2019

Religion Clause

European Court Says Marriage Annulment By Greek Court Violates Couple’s Rights

By Howard Friedman on September 16, 2019

In Theodorou and Tsotsorou v. Greece, (ECHR, Sept. 5, 2019) [decision in French], the European court of Human rights held that Greece violated Art. 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Right to Marry) when it annulled the marriage of applicants under a law interpreted as barring the marriage of a man to the sister of his former wife. A Greek court annulled the ten-year marriage of the couple on the petition of the…

Religion Clause

European Court Says Marriage Annulment By Greek Court Violates Couple’s Rights

By Howard Friedman on September 16, 2019

Religion Clause

Recent Articles of Interest

By Howard Friedman on September 16, 2019

From SSRN: Kristina Michelle Campbell, Sanctuary, Temporary Protected Status, and Catholic Social Teaching, (University of Detroit Mercy Law Review, Vol. 96, No. 1, 2018). Thea Raymond-Sidel, I Saw the Sign: NIFLA v. Becerra and Informed Consent to Abortion, (Columbia Law Review, Vol. 119, No. 8, 2019). Robert Kahn, The Long Road Back to Skokie: Returning the First Amendment to Mask Wearers, (U of St. Thomas (Minnesota) Legal Studies Research Paper No. 19-14 (2019)).…

Religion Clause

State Department Sanctions Two Russians For Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses

By Howard Friedman on September 15, 2019

Last week the State Department publicly designated two investigative officials in Russia’s western Siberian city of Surgut as ineligible to enter the United States because of their involvement in persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The State Department’s press release said in part: The Department is publicly designating Vladimir Petrovich Yermolayev, the Head of the Investigative Committee in the city of Surgut, Russia, and Stepan Vladimirovich Tkach, Senior Investigator at the Investigative Committee of Surgut, Russia, under…

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Juvenile Court Can Override Mother’s Religious Objection To Vaccinations

New Immigration Rules Impact Foreign Religious Workers

Student’s Distribution of Religious Valentines On Campus Is Protected Speech

Arizona Supreme Court Backs Wedding Invitation Artists In Their Free Speech Claim

Britain Has New Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief

Britain Has New Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief

European Court Says Marriage Annulment By Greek Court Violates Couple’s Rights

European Court Says Marriage Annulment By Greek Court Violates Couple’s Rights

Recent Articles of Interest

State Department Sanctions Two Russians For Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses

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