Religion & Law

Judge on hot seat in historic same-sex ?marriage? case

Posted on January 14, 2010
CitizenLink: "Chauncey affirmed that many people believe marriage is meant to be between one man and one woman. But he added a caveat: He noted there was a time when people didn't condone mixed race marriages for that reason. 'He is basically making the amazing comparison that the grossest kinds of racial discrimination are equal to those beliefs of people who believe marriage is one man and one woman,' said a stunned Jordan Lorence, senior counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund...

SCOTUS Petitions to Watch

Posted on January 14, 2010
SCOTUS Blog has posted its list of US Supreme Court petitions to watch here.

Supreme Court cites witness harassment, blocks Calif. Prop 8 trial broadcast

Posted on January 14, 2010
Baptist Press: "Jordan Lorence, senior counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund and one of the attorneys involved in defending Prop 8, told Baptist Press Monday the trial should not be broadcast so as to protect witnesses. 'If witnesses came in here to say Prop 8 was a reasonable public policy decision and their face is then blasted all over YouTube and others, it would be an invitation for the same type of treatment that happened during the Prop 8 campaign...

Display with Ten Commandments Ruled Constitutional by 6th Circuit

Posted on January 14, 2010
Liberty Counsel: "Today in ACLU v. Grayson County, Kentucky, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of a display including the Ten Commandments in Leitchfield, KY, on the second floor of Grayson County?s courthouse."

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Canadian FLDS Leader Sues BC Government For Illegal Prosecution

Posted on January 14, 2010
Religion Clause Blog: "Yesterday's National Post reports that Blackmore's suit, filed in the B.C. Supreme Court, claims that the polygamy charges caused him to suffer business and other financial losses and that he and his family suffered stress and anxiety...

ADF attorneys to appeal court ruling denying DC voters? right to decide marriage

Posted on January 14, 2010
"On behalf of Pastor Harry Jackson and other voters, Alliance Defense Fund and Stand4MarriageDC attorneys will appeal a court decision issued Thursday that allows the District of Columbia Board of Elections and Ethics to deprive D.C. voters the right to decide the definition of marriage in the district...

On military DADT repeal, Obama soldiers on

Posted on January 14, 2010
Family Research Council Washington Update: "The President's health care plan may be bottled up in Congress, but 16 blocks away, this White House isn't twiddling its thumbs. On the contrary, it's plotting the next wave of unpopular policies--including a repeal of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy...

Prop 8 Trial, Day 3 summary: SBC, Catholic beliefs on marriage called prejudiced

Posted on January 14, 2010
Baptist Press: "Southern Baptist Convention and Catholic belief statements on homosexuality and 'gay marriage' were read Wednesday during the California Prop 8 trial as examples of prejudice and bias against homosexuals -- a courtroom moment conservative attorneys say underscores that religious liberty is at stake...

Jordan Lorence on the Michael Medved Show: Perry v. Schwarzenegger

Posted on January 14, 2010
ADF attorney Jordan Lorence appeared on the Michael Medved Show to discuss Perry v. Schwarzenegger. The mp3 runs just over 33 minutes.

FIRE files amicus brief in support of Jonathan Lopez

Posted on January 14, 2010
ADF Attorney David Hacker writing at the Academic Freedom File: "Yesterday, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education filed an amicus brief in support of Jonathan Lopez at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Last July, a federal district court in Los Angeles granted Mr...

Council of Europe to debate two anti-life and family resolutions

Posted on January 14, 2010
Pat Buckley, European Life Network, writes at his blog: The council of Europe is scheduled to debate an anti life and an anti family measure in Strasbourg the week after next. The first report and resolution 'Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity' prepared by Andreas Gross a member of the Socialist Group will be debated on Wednesday January 27th...

Pro-life bill advances in Kentucky

Posted on January 14, 2010
UPI: "A bill requiring doctors to show ultrasound images of their fetuses to all women seeking abortions advanced Thursday in the Kentucky Legislature."

Dems threaten candidates who campaign on healthcare repeal

Posted on January 14, 2010
The Hill: "A Democratic National Committee (DNC) official said Thursday that the party is tracking signatures to the conservative Club for Growth's healthcare repeal pledge the group released Thursday."

CLS v. Hastings Law School Case Gets Supreme Court Star Power

Posted on January 14, 2010
"Christian Legal Society has brought on board as lead counsel, former federal appellate judge Michael McConnell, now director of the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School."

Washington: Pharmacies Sue State Over Medicaid Rx Reimbursements

Posted on January 14, 2010
KUOW.org: "Pharmacies have been at odds with the state over reimbursements for Medicaid prescriptions. Pharmacies have complained that Washington isn't paying enough to cover the rising cost of drugs. Today, the Washington State Pharmacy Association will ask the court to compel the state to revert back to previous reimbursement rates...

John C. Eastman: Prop 8 trial set up aids ?gay marriage? side

Posted on January 14, 2010
John C. Eastman writes at CNN: "The trial to determine the constitutionality of California's same-sex marriage ban, Proposition 8, is being held in San Francisco, one of the most pro-gay marriage venues in the country. This is a decided home-court advantage for those challenging the law and, by implication, the nation's marriage laws...

Rush Limbaugh: ?Five Years Later, Embryonic Stem Cells Have Failed to Cure Anything?

Posted on January 14, 2010
Rush Limbaugh (Audio and Transcript): Five years after a budget-busting $3 billion was allocated to embryonic stem cell research, there have been no cures . . . "

Fifteen states may sue over healthcare reform

Posted on January 14, 2010
Reuters: "More than a dozen U.S. state attorneys general visited Washington on Wednesday threatening to sue the U.S. government if the so-called 'Cornhusker Kickback,' a special subsidy offered to Nebraska, is included in pen1ding healthcare reform legislation...

Follow the Law, China Tells Internet Companies

Posted on January 14, 2010
NY Times: "Two days after Google announced that it would quit China unless the nation?s censors eased their grip, the Chinese government offered an indirect but unambiguous response: Companies that do business in China must follow the laws of the land...

Prop. 8 trial Day 4: Live coverage from the courtroom

Posted on January 14, 2010
Mercury News carries this timeline of today's coverage by Howard Mintz.

Over 100 Christian Teens Arrested in Egypt

Posted on January 14, 2010
Christian Post: "The Coptic community has long complained that State Security has used various tactics, including arrests, to force Christian victims to 'reconcile' with their perpetrators. The 'reconciliation' process, say Copts, is nothing more than a front for forcing the victims to forfeit their rights to press criminal charges...

Ala. Board of Education approves charter school resolution

Posted on January 14, 2010
Birmingham Business Journal: "The Alabama State Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution that urges the legislature to pass a charter schools law on Thursday . . ."

N.J. Gov.-elect Christie targets teachers? union with Schundler appointment

Posted on January 14, 2010
NJ Star Ledger: "Sitting in his transition office a few blocks from the state capitol in Trenton, Chris Christie was in full battle mode today, like a boxer who couldn?t wait to climb into the ring and start pounding away. In fact, he wasn?t waiting. His target: The 200,000-member strong New Jersey Education Association ...

Minnesota is the most charter school-friendly state, nonprofit says

Posted on January 14, 2010
StarTribune.com: "The state ranked highest in a study released Wednesday by the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools."

Battle for Christian Party Chairmanship in Council of Europe draws lines on social issues

Posted on January 14, 2010
C-FAM: "A battle over leadership of the European People's Party (EPP), the Christian Democratic grouping in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), is pitting an Italian pro-life stalwart against socially-liberal counterparts from Holland and Sweden...

Uzbekistan: Illegal Christmas as unregistered religious activity punished

Posted on January 14, 2010
Forum 18: "Uzbekistan continues in 2010 to punish unregistered religious activity, in defiance of international human rights standards, Forum 18 News Service has learned. On 3 January, eight police officers raided a Christmas gathering organised by an officially registered church...

Jennifer Roback Morse: What?s at stake in redefining marriage in Quebec?

Posted on January 14, 2010
Jennifer Roback Morse writing at the Ruth Institute Blog: "The news from Quebec is not encouraging for those who love liberty. In their new Quebec Policy Against Homophobia: Moving Together Toward social Equality, Provincial government of Quebec just gave itself permission to take all necessary steps to wipe out, not just 'homophobia,' but also 'heterosexism' ...

Oregon: ACLU won?t challenge new Ashland nudity ban now

Posted on January 14, 2010
Mail Tribune: "'We have to wait and see' how the city enforces the ban, said Ralph Temple, a board member of the Southern Oregon chapter of the ACLU. 'We will watch it closely.'"

Taking Down China?s ?Great Firewall?

Posted on January 14, 2010
Newsweek: "China is fighting the Internet. And like everyone else who fights the Internet, China will lose."

Deal Reached on Taxing ?Cadillac? Plans

Posted on January 14, 2010
Fox News: "State and local workers and union members are exempted until 2017."

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