Church Law & Tax Report

A Texas court ruled that a pastor was legally required to report to civil authorities the confession of a counselee that he had molested his three children.

A Florida court said procedural requirements were not followed.

A Florida court ruled that a student who refused to return a school-owned laptop computer could be charged with theft.

The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that a local church maintained ownership of its property following its disaffiliation from a parent denomination.

A New York court ruled that a church member had the legal authority to inspect church records despite the pastor's refusal to allow him to do so.

A Texas court ruled that statements made by a church member to his pastor when confronted by the pastor about allegations of inappropriate behavior with children were not protected against disclosure in court.

A federal court in Texas addressed the question of what recipes can be placed in a cookbook without violating the copyright law.

A Connecticut court ruled that a denominational agency was not required to seek out information concerning the prior sexual misconduct of a non-employee.

A New York court ruled that disparaging statements made by a minister about a member of his congregation when asked by a prospective employer for a reference were not defamatory.

A federal court in Wisconsin ruled that it was barred from resolving a former church music director's claim that she had been wrongfully terminated by the church on account of her race.

A California court ruled that a Christian student group's rights under the federal Equal Access Act were violated by a public school district's decision to ban them from school premises.

The Indiana Supreme Court ruled that a city's decision to "condemn" church property through the power of eminent domain did not violate the church's first amendment rights.

A Michigan court ruled that a church insurance policy's "counseling endorsement" provided coverage for a lawsuit brought by a husband and wife against their pastor.

A Louisiana court ruled that a school was legally responsible for the rape of a 12-year-old girl who had been allowed to leave school premises during school hours.

A New Jersey court ruled that a state charitable immunity law prevented a woman from suing a church as a result of injuries she suffered when she tripped on a sidewalk adjacent to the church.

A Pennsylvania court ruled that email messages are not protected by any privacy interests.

The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that a charity could not be liable for an employee's sexual assault because it had no knowledge of any prior misconduct.

A Florida court ruled that a church was not liable, on the basis of respondeat superior or negligent supervision, for the rape of a 16-year-old girl by the senior pastor of her church.