Religion & Law

Chief Justice Roberts on Obama, Justice Stevens, Law Reviews, More

Posted on April 08, 2010
Jess Bravin writes at the Wall Street Journal: "Chief Justice John Roberts spoke at the Indiana University law school in Indianapolis on Wednesday. After an innocuous lecture . . . he took questions . . . Roberts said he doesn?t pay much attention to academic legal writing...

Robert Knight: Radicals to rule us all

Posted on April 08, 2010
Robert Knight writes at the Washington Times: "What do Craig Becker, Chai R. Feldblum and Jacqueline A. Berrien have in common? They're the latest left-wing activists to gain public office in President Obama's gallery of radical rulers, courtesy of recess appointments on March 27 ...

Census Bureau concerned about head count problems

Posted on April 08, 2010
AP: "As the U.S. census nears its final stages, the government is preparing for possible debacles that could derail its $15 billion head count, from mass identity theft and lawsuits to homeowners who refuse to answer their doors."

?Philippine Supreme Court allows gay party in polls?

Posted on April 08, 2010
AP: "The Philippine Supreme Court on Thursday overturned a decision barring a gay rights group from contesting national elections in May and recognized it as a legitimate political party for the first time."

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Atheists? Suit Against Ministers? Housing Allowance Lands in Federal Appeals Court

Posted on April 08, 2010
Pacific Justice Institute: "Opening briefs were filed last week with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in a lawsuit filed by atheist Michael Newdow and the Freedom From Religion Foundation against a centuries-old practice of giving ministers a 'parsonage allowance' or tax exemption for their housing...

Imprisoned Chinese activist seeks medical parole

Posted on April 08, 2010
AP: "The wife of jailed Chinese dissident Hu Jia has appealed to prison authorities for her husband's release, saying he has a serious disease that she fears might turn into liver cancer . . . "

India: Court bars government funding for Islamic financial institution in Kerala

Posted on April 08, 2010
The Peninsula: "Kerala High Court has ruled that neither the state government nor its agencies should invest in an Islamic financial institution. In their interim order on a petition filed by Janata Party chairman Subrmaniam Swamy, Chief Justice J Chelemeswar and Justice C N Ramachandran Nair asked the state government not to fund any venture that went against the secular ethos of the Constitution...

?New Macedonian rights law fails to protect gays?

Posted on April 08, 2010
Taiwan News: "Macedonia has approved a new rights law but ignored appeals from the EU and rights groups to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation."

Canada: McGill University forces pro-life club to accept special restrictions

Posted on April 08, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "The Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) has reinstated the club status of Choose Life, the campus pro-life club, but only after forcing them to submit to special requirements that restrict the club's ability to share the pro-life message...

OH: Berea approves zoning for ?adult entertainment businesses?

Posted on April 08, 2010
Sun News: "The city approved legislation that some neighboring municipalities had on their books for more than nine years. City Council approved measures that created an adult-oriented business chapter in its codified ordinances, renamed a district that would allow such enterprises to locate and another explaining what is permissible within the new West Bagley Road Commercial District...

New Brunswick anti-abortion activist jailed for refusing to file tax returns

Posted on April 08, 2010
Winnipeg Free Press: "An anti-abortion crusader in New Brunswick has been sentenced to 66 days in jail for refusing to pay fines stemming from a 2007 conviction for failing to file his tax returns. David Little said in provincial court Thursday that he will never file another tax return as long as there is tax-funded abortion in Canada, and won't pay the $3,000 in fines for failing to file returns for 2000, 2001, and 2002...

TX: Austin crisis pregnancy centers must post disclaimers

Posted on April 08, 2010
News 8 Austin: "Pregnancy centers that don't offer abortion and birth control services will now have to better disclose their policies. The Austin City Council unanimously passed the new ordinance on first reading, Thursday."

Venezuela: Group says jailing of judge attacks judicial freedom

Posted on April 08, 2010
Washington Post: "The jailing of a judge in Venezuela threatens the independence of her colleagues and the rule of law in the Latin American OPEC member, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said on Thursday. Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni was arrested by police on December 10, a day after she ordered the conditional release of a long-imprisoned banker accused of fraud...

UK: Nurse loses battle over crucifix

Posted on April 08, 2010
UPI: "A nurse who insisted on wearing a crucifix to work should have reached a compromise with her hospital employer, a British employment panel has ruled. The panel rejected Shirley Chaplin's claim that she was a victim of religious discrimination by the management of Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, The Times of London reported Wednesday...

Kansas abortions fall by 11%

Posted on April 08, 2010
Baptist Press: "Abortions in Kansas decreased by 11 percent in 2009, according to a preliminary report by the state's Department of Health and Environment."

Oil could give kiss of death to ?recovery?

Posted on April 08, 2010
Financial Times: "Olivier Jakob, of Swiss consultant Petromatrix, said in a note that the ?recovery of 2009 was fuelled with crude oil at $62 a barrel, not at $90 a barrel or $100 a barrel. We fear that the latest run on WTI will be the kiss of death for a global economy that was trying to avoid the possibility of a double-dip recession...

ADF reminds colleges & universities of their free speech obligations

Posted on April 08, 2010
Evangelical Examiner: "According to the Alliance Defense Fund, on behalf of students at five universities and colleges in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, they have sent letters today to inform the schools of the need to revise restrictive 'speech codes' on their books that do not comport with a ruling from the U...

Alberta: ?Anti-gay letter isn?t human rights case: minister?

Posted on April 08, 2010
CBC.ca on Yahoo News: "The minister responsible for the Alberta Human Rights Commission says a complaint about an anti-gay letter to a Red Deer newspaper should never have gone before the commission."

Senate of Berlin resolution on same-sex ?marriage?

Posted on April 08, 2010
LSVD (Lesbian and Gay Federation): "The Berlin Senate [Berlin's executive body] has [decided to present a resolution on marriage--'Berlin is in favor of self-determination and acceptance of sexual diversity'--to the Federal Council." [modified Google Translation] | Wikipedia: "LGBT rights in Germany"

Kansas Late-Term Abortion Bill Awaiting Governor?s Signature

Posted on April 08, 2010
LifeSiteNews: "A bill that would require abortionists to report the reason why they performed abortions after 21 weeks is sitting on the desk of Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson, awaiting his signature."

Portugal?s Constitutional Court OKs same-sex ?marrage?

Posted on April 08, 2010
On Top Mag ("gay advocacy website"): "Portugal's Constitutional Court has OK'd a gay marriage bill approved by lawmakers, Portugal's IOL Diario reported. . . . In an opinion released Thursday and written by Justice Victor Gomes, the court's majority agreed the bill is constitutional...

Anti-abortion activists seek new definition of ?personhood,? state by state

Posted on April 08, 2010
Cleveland Plain Dealer: "A group of anti-abortion activists has unrolled a new strategy: Stretch the legal definition of "person" in state constitutions to cover a freshly fertilized egg in a woman's womb. 'We are defining the word 'person' as a human being ...

PA: Man forces girlfriend to have an unwanted abortion; charged with murder

Posted on April 08, 2010
HotAir.com quoting from Liberty Pundits: "In late February, on the victim?s birthday, Tercero visited her at home and used misoprostol he allegedly stole from Wegmans pharmacy to cause the miscarriage. Without her knowing it, Tercero put one pill in her vagina, one in her juice and one in her water...

Obama Administration Pressures Kenya to Adopt Constitution Legalizing Abortion

Posted on April 07, 2010
LifeNews: "President Barack Obama wasted little time after his election in promoting abortion abroad by overturning the Mexico City Policy and forcing Americans to pay for abortions and abortion promotion in other nations. Now the Obama administration is attempting to get Kenya to legalize abortion ...

ADF attorney available to media after hearing on Ark. Act 1 adoption, foster care law

Posted on April 07, 2010
Alliance Defense Fund Senior Legal Counsel Byron Babione and ADF Litigation Counsel Sara Tappen will be available for media interviews Thursday following a hearing in the lawsuitCole v. Arkansas Department of Human Services, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against Act 1

WI: Two new court of appeals judges elected

Posted on April 07, 2010
Wisconsin Law Journal: "Dane County District Attorney Brian Blanchard, 51, easily won the race in District IV over Richland County Circuit Court Judge Edward E. Leineweber, 61, with 63 percent of the vote . . . The race in Waukesha was closer, as circuit court Judge Paul F...

GA: Rally planned to support boy taking ?boyfriend? to the prom

Posted on April 07, 2010
Macon.com: "The Macon chapter of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays is holding the 'rally for equality' at 6 p.m. Friday and says the student, Derrick Martin, as well as Deonna Sage, who performs in drag, will attend."

TN: ??Gay? Shirt Gets Teen Tossed From School?

Posted on April 07, 2010
WGAL.com: "Cole Goforth, 15, said he was sent home from Greenbrier High School on Monday for wearing a shirt that said 'I Heart Lady Gay Gay,' a takeoff on the name of performer Lady GaGa."

TN: ?Campfield bill would prohibit teaching of gay relationships, likely fails for another year?

Posted on April 07, 2010
WBIR.com: "Legislation that would prohibit teaching about gay relationships in Tennessee public schools has likely failed again . . . Read HB0821/SB1250 at http://capitol.tn.gov"

ACLJ Represents Members of Congress in Urging Federal Appeals Court to Uphold Constitutionality of Pledge of Allegiance in NH Schools

Posted on April 07, 2010
ACLJ: "The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) is urging a federal appeals court to uphold the constitutionality of the Pledge of Allegiance - including the phrase 'under God' - on behalf of more than 40 members of Congress and more than 80,000 Americans...

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