Religious Law

Judge rules for group with moral, rather than religious, objections to contraceptive mandate

A federal judge has ruled on behalf of an anti-abortion group that contended it should be entitled to the same exemption from the Affordable Care Act’s contraceptive-coverage mandate as religious organizations. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon of Washington, D.C., ruled (PDF) Monday on behalf of the nonprofit, March for Life,…

Sep 2, 2015 10:51 AM CDT

Defiant county clerk refuses to issue marriage licenses despite SCOTUS action

Updated: A county clerk in Kentucky who objects to gay marriage on religious grounds is continuing to refuse to issue marriage licenses, despite Supreme Court action on Monday. The order by the U.S. Supreme Court refused to stay a federal judge’s injunction requiring the clerk, Kim Davis, to issue marriage…

Sep 1, 2015 7:36 AM CDT

First Amendment doesn’t protect baker who refused wedding cake to gay couple, appeals court says

A Christian cake baker in Lakewood, Colorado, has lost an appeal that claimed he had a First Amendment right to refuse to provide a cake for a gay couple to celebrate their wedding. The Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that baker Jack Phillips of Masterpiece Cakeshop had an obligation to…

Aug 14, 2015 7:31 AM CDT

ISIS embraces sex slavery, using contracts and courts to govern the practice

ISIS—also known as the Islamic State group—has embraced sex slavery and is regulating the practice with sales contracts notarized by ISIS-run courts, according to a newspaper investigation. The girls and women who are taken as sex slaves belong to the Yazidi religious minority, the New York Times reports. ISIS not…

Aug 13, 2015 9:09 AM CDT

2nd Circuit rules against nonprofits challenging opt-out process for contraceptive coverage

The opt-out process for religious nonprofits that don’t want to provide contraceptive insurance coverage for their workers does not violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a federal appeals court has ruled. The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled (PDF) on Friday, report the New York Times and…

Aug 10, 2015 9:01 AM CDT

Supreme Court’s Abercrombie ruling marks a setback for employers

Justice Antonin Scalia spoke briefly off the cuff when he delivered the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in a case raising a claim of religious discrimination in employment. “This is really easy,” Scalia said in announcing the 8-1 decision in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Abercrombie & Fitch Stores Inc. “An…

Aug 1, 2015 3:20 AM CDT

Archdiocese seeks court order to end protesters’ 11-year vigil and close down deconsecrated church

An 11-year, 24/7 vigil at a Roman Catholic church outside Boston may be coming to an end, if Massachusetts appeals courts see the case the same way as the Archdiocese of Boston. The protesting parishioners say they are the true owners of St. Frances Xavier Cabrini church in Scituate, under…

Jul 23, 2015 11:20 AM CDT

Man with Voodoo beads is ordered detained for refusing to remove them in court

A defendant appearing before a North Carolina judge was detained for nearly three hours last week when he refused to remove his Voodoo beads or tuck them into his shirt during a court appearance. The defendant, Abu-Bakr Abdur Rahman of Fayetteville, says he believes Judge Talmage Baggett of Cumberland County…

Jul 17, 2015 7:54 AM CDT

EEOC suit claims United Parcel Service’s appearance policy violates workers’ religious rights

The U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued the United Parcel Service for allegedly violating the religious rights of workers and job applicants whose appearance violates company policy. The suit, announced Wednesday in this press release, says the company bans beards and hair that is below collar length for male…

Jul 17, 2015 5:45 AM CDT

Parishioners at Church of Cannabis avoid criminal charges, plan civil suit

Parishioners at the First Church of Cannabis in Indianapolis left their pot at home when they gathered for a service on Wednesday, the same day that Indiana’s new religious freedom law took effect. Police had announced in advance that any pot smokers would be arrested, and officers were posted outside…

Jul 2, 2015 7:30 AM CDT

ACLU suit challenges Louisiana governor’s ‘marriage and conscience order’

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s “marriage and conscience order” is being challenged in a lawsuit that claims the executive action exceeded his powers. The suit (PDF) was filed on Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Louisiana, the Forum for Equality Foundation and six New Orleans residents, according to…

Jul 1, 2015 9:21 AM CDT

9th Circuit revives inmate’s pro se suit over being required to work with pork in kitchen

A federal appeals court has given a green light to a former inmate’s First Amendment complaint over being required to work with pork as part of his job assignment in an Oregon prison kitchen. Reversing a trial court’s grant of summary judgment in a pro se lawsuit by Clarence Eugene…

Jun 29, 2015 11:55 AM CDT

County clerks, judges with religious qualms can refuse to issue gay marriage licenses, Texas AG says

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says in a legal opinion that government employees may refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses if doing so violates their sincerely held religious beliefs. Paxton’s opinion (PDF) says employees such as county clerks and their employees, justices of the peace and judges retain religious freedoms.…

Jun 29, 2015 7:43 AM CDT

SCOTUS rules for Arizona church in First Amendment challenge to sign ordinance

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled for an Arizona pastor and his church in a challenge to an ordinance that imposed more stringent restrictions on temporary signs directing the public to its services than on other signs. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the opinion (PDF) for the court finding a First…

Jun 18, 2015 9:36 AM CDT

New Michigan law allows adoption agencies to refuse service based on religious objections

A Michigan bill signed by the governor on Thursday allows private adoption agencies with state contracts to refuse to place children with families based on sincerely held religious beliefs. The law’s backers say the bill will ensure that faith-based adoption agencies remain open so that as many children as possible…

Jun 12, 2015 8:00 AM CDT