Church Records

Key point 6-03.1. Church members generally have no right to inspect church records unless such a right is conferred by state nonprofit corporation law, a church's charter or bylaws, state securities law (if the church has issued securities), or a subpoena. Church records enjoy no privilege against disclosure, with the exception of documents that are protected by the clergy-penitent privilege under state law.

A Georgia court ruled that a member of a nonprofit corporation failed to prove that he had a "proper purpose" for his request to inspect several categories of corporate records, and therefore he had no legal right under the state nonprofit corporation law to inspect the records.

A member of a nonprofit corporation sued the corporation on the basis of mismanagement and a violation of the corporate bylaws. The member asked for permission to inspect "all accounting and ...