Church Law & Tax Report

Maryland's highest court ruled that a local congregation that voted to disaffiliate from a national church after more than a century of association was entitled to retain its property.

A Washington court ruled that the clergy-penitent privilege applied to confidential statements made to a pastor, and that the privilege was not waived when the pastor disclosed the communications to two others.

The Montana Supreme Court ruled that statements made by a child molester to lay leaders in his church were not protected from disclosure by the clergy-penitent privilege.

A New York court ruled that a religious teacher was not a "public figure" and therefore could more easily sue an organization that allegedly defamed him in one of its publications.

A Tennessee court ruled that a marriage was valid despite the husband's claim that the officiating clergyman was not qualified to perform marriages and had failed to return a signed marriage license to the county clerk within three days of the marriage as required by law.

An Alabama court ruled that a school was not liable for a teacher's acts of child molestation since it conducted a thorough background check before hiring him and did not violate its written policies.

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that a diocese could not be liable for the sexual misconduct of a priest.