Religion & Law

37 Law Professors Urge European Court to Reject Ruling Banning Cross from Italian Classrooms

Posted on May 25, 2010
Becket Fund: "Thirty-seven law professors hailing from 11 countries have submitted written comments asking the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights to overturn a seven-judge panel?s ruling that crucifixes may not be displayed in Italian classrooms...

NC pro-lifers push for ?Choose Life? tags

Posted on May 25, 2010
WCNC.com: "About 100 activists gathered Tuesday at the General Assembly to urge lawmakers to approve a license plate bearing the slogan 'Choose Life.' About half the states in the country have them."

Regulate them to death: Teacher unions call for more oversight in face of NY charter school expansion

Posted on May 25, 2010
NY Times: "Charter school advocates, including Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, are vigorously lobbying for a bill that would more than double the number of charters in New York State and would send at least $2 billion in taxpayer money a year into the charter system ...

Maine Republican Senator Collins to back normalization of homosexual behavior in the military

Posted on May 25, 2010
AP: "Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican considered a critical vote on the issue, says she will support legislation that would repeal the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy."

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Maine Magistrate Judge: National Organization for Marriage should disclose donor identities

Posted on May 25, 2010
"U.S. Magistrate Judge John Rich III says the National Organization for Marriage should disclose who donated to the campaign to repeal Maine's gay marriage law."

Gallup: ?Americans? Acceptance of Gay Relations Crosses 50% Threshold?

Posted on May 25, 2010
Gallup: "Americans' support for the moral acceptability of gay and lesbian relations crossed the symbolic 50% threshold in 2010. At the same time, the percentage calling these relations 'morally wrong' dropped to 43%, the lowest in Gallup's decade-long trend ...

Cal. public school proponents sue state to force more funding

Posted on May 25, 2010
San Francisco Chronicle: "More than 60 children and nine school districts across California filed a historic lawsuit Thursday, arguing that elected officials have failed in their constitutional obligation to support public schools. The case has the potential to completely overhaul how, and how much, money flows into schools...

HHS Asks Virginia Judge To Dismiss State Lawsuit Challenging Reform Law

Posted on May 25, 2010
California Healthline: "On Monday, attorneys representing HHS asked a federal judge in Virginia to dismiss a state lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new health reform law, the Washington Post reports . . ."

Law Review: The Subjects of the Constitution

Posted on May 25, 2010
Nicholas Quinn Rosenkranz, The Subjects of the Constitution (May 18, 2010). Stanford Law Review, Vol. 62, No. 5, 2010; Georgetown Public Law Research Paper No. 10-25. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1611210 "Two centuries after Marbury v...

UK: Motor Neurone Disease Group Donates £800,000 for Human/Animal Hybrid Clone Researc

Posted on May 25, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "The UK?s Motor Neurone Disease Association has announced it will donate £800,000 (US $1,200,000) to fund human/animal 'hybrid embryo' cloning research by the same Edinburgh University team that created 'Dolly' the cloned sheep."

Supreme Court of Mexican State of Queretaro Approves Pro-Life Amendment

Posted on May 25, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "The Supreme Court of the Mexican state of Queretaro has confirmed the constitutionality of a recently-passed pro-life amendment . . . "

Showdown at the OK Capitol: Senate Prepares for Third Abortion Veto Fight with Gov.

Posted on May 25, 2010
" . . . senators may attempt to override the governor?s veto of an enhanced abortion statistics reporting law by Tuesday afternoon . . . Late Monday afternoon, the Oklahoma House of Representatives overwhelmingly overruled Henry's third veto . . . "

Kenya Court Ruling Could Have Affect on Abortion, Vote on New Constitution

Posted on May 25, 2010
LifeNews: "A ruling by the Kenya High Court on an unrelated issue could have an affect on the August 4 vote on a draft constitution that church leaders oppose because it essentially legalizes unlimited abortions. The court declared the inclusion of Kadhi courts in the current law unconstitutional ...

David Hacker: Allocating student activity fees based on clear standards

Posted on May 25, 2010
ADF Attorney David J. Hacker writing at Speak Up Movement / University: "Today?s post will provide principles that student fee allocation committees can rely upon when distributing fees and insight for student groups to determine if their rights are being violated (and they just don?t know it) ...

UK: Baby boom for the over-forties but overall birth rate is down

Posted on May 25, 2010
Times Online: "The number of children born to mothers in their forties has almost trebled in the past two decades and continues to rise, latest figures show. Nearly 27,000 babies were born to women aged 40 and over in 2009 ? compared with the 9,336 live births in 1989...

Quebecers to be asked views on euthanasia, assisted suicide

Posted on May 25, 2010
The Gazette: "After hearing medical, legal and other experts on the issue of dying with dignity, a Quebec legislature committee plans to tour the province to hear the views of Quebecers. Participants will be asked their views on euthanasia, consenting to a lethal dose of medicine and assisted suicide, helping end the life of someone who wants to die...

VA: School official suspended for distributing 4? fetus models

Posted on May 25, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "Two school officials have been suspended at a Norfolk, VA elementary school in connection with the distribution of 4-inch-long baby models accompanied by a card describing a child's growth in the womb . . . Oakwood spokeswoman Elizabeth Thiel Mather told the paper Thursday that the baby figurines were not authorized by the division as instructional materials...

West Australia: Activists rally against abortion

Posted on May 25, 2010
The West Australian: "More than 800 pro-life activists, including Catholic Archbishop Barry Hickey marched to Parliament House tonight to protest the 12th anniversary of the legalisation of abortion in WA."

Matt Bowman on the Jody Hice Show: Health care and the sanctity of life

Posted on May 25, 2010
ADF Attorney Matt Bowman appeared on The Jody Hice Show to discuss the recently-passed health care bill and its violations of the sanctity of life. | MP3 ? 15:42 mins

Charter school autonomy: A half-broken promise

Posted on May 25, 2010
Charter School Autonomy: A Half-Broken Promise Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Dana Brinson, Jacob L. Rosch, 4.28.2010 "This Fordham Institute study finds that the typical charter school in America today lacks the autonomy it needs to succeed, once state, authorizer, and other impositions are considered...

Judge tours church involved in graduation controversy

Posted on May 25, 2010
NBC Connecticut: "A federal court judge toured a Bloomfield church that is at the center of a graduation controversy. Enfield's two high schools are scheduled to hold graduation ceremonies at The First Cathedral church in June."

Fargo atheist wants ?ISNOGOD? ND license plate

Posted on May 25, 2010
Associated Press: "North Dakota transportation officials have turned down a Fargo atheist's request for a personalized license plate declaring there 'ISNOGOD.' Brian Magee says the state has allowed plates proclaiming 'ILOVGOD' and other religious messages...

As Marshall clerk, Kagan was wary of conservatives

Posted on May 25, 2010
Tampa Bay Online (AP): "As a young lawyer working for Justice Thurgood Marshall, Elena Kagan repeatedly expressed her concern that a conservative Supreme Court was looking for ways to cut back on the rights of women, criminal defendants and prisoners...

Los Angeles Catholic school vandalized, religious items desecrated

Posted on May 25, 2010
Catholic News Agency: "On May 24, the school of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, which is located in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, was vandalized in an apparent hate crime."

Despite promises, marriage not on new UK coalition govt?s agenda

Posted on May 25, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "A document put out by Britain?s new coalition government outlining their goals, fails to include the word 'marriage,' or any specific pledge to bolster the flagging institution. Prime Minister David Cameron had made numerous pledges to protect marriage in the build-up to this month?s general election...

Florida House leaders holding controversial abortion-ultrasound bill

Posted on May 25, 2010
WTSP: "Gov. Charlie Crist is still waiting for leaders of the Florida House to send him a controversial bill that would require women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound before the procedure." | HB-1143 | For more on the bill, see this ADF Alliance Alert compound tag: http://www...

Grant death for blasphemy: Islamists to UN

Posted on May 25, 2010
Indian Express: "Demanding a permanent ban on Facebook, over two dozen Pakistani religious groups working under the umbrella of the JuD have decided to contact the UN for enacting a global law 'against blasphemy of prophets and awarding death penalty to violators...

Judge denies motion to dismiss suit against Aurora Planned Parenthood

Posted on May 25, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "Striking down a motion to dismiss, Judge Neal W. Cerne of Dupage County Court has ruled that a lawsuit may go forward alleging that a Planned Parenthood mega-center violates city zoning laws and that the zoning board blatantly ignored the violation...

Pakistani People?s Party faces legal proceedings for ?blasphemous? remarks

Posted on May 25, 2010
Zee News: "A prominent leader of the ruling Pakistani People's Party may be booked under controversial blasphemy laws for her comments on Hazrat Umar, the second Caliph of the Muslims. A Pakistani court yesterday summoned the station house officer of Nishtar Town in Lahore in response to a petition against the non-registration of an FIR against PPP spokesperson Fauzia Wahab for her statement about the Quran and Hazrat Umar...

Oklahoma Legislature overrides third abortion veto

Posted on May 25, 2010
"In a vote of 33-15, the Senate voted to override Gov. Brad Henry's veto of House Bill 3284. A similar veto override measure passed the House on Monday in a vote 84-13. The measure goes into effect Nov. 1."

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