Legal Developments
Issues that affect ministers and churches
Limit By:
| State | Title | Category |
|---|---|---|
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Church’s Push to Strip Members’ Power to Vote Falls Flat on AppealMarch 2023 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws |
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Pastor Lacked Authority to Appoint Board MembersJuly 2022 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Officers, Directors, and Trustees |
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Court Can Resolve Church Dispute over the Election of a New PastorApril 2022 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Business Meetings |
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Decision Reinforces When Courts Can—or Can’t—Resolve Church Bylaws DisputesDecember 2018 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Business Meetings |
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Mosque Members’ Lawsuit Concerning Financial Improprieties Must Be Resolved By Binding Arbitration Due to Mosque Bylaws’ Arbitration ClauseJune 2017 |
Arbitration; Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws |
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The Extent of “Qualified Privilege” and the Legal Consequences of Violating BylawsFebruary 2016 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Defamation |
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Churches’ Right to Remove ClergyJune 2015 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Clergy - Removal |
|
Removal of Church Board MembersMarch 2013 |
Breach of Contract; Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Officers, Directors, and Trustees |
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Court Intervention in Church Legal DisputesJuly 2012 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Members |
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Court Intervention in Church Legal DisputesMay 2012 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Members |
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Expelled Church Members Sue Church, Directors and OfficersMarch 2009 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Members |
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Church Property and Denominational OwnershipNovember 2007 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Property |
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Bylaws, Constitutions, and ChartersJuly 2005 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Business Meetings |
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First Amendment Bars the Civil Courts from Intervening in Church ElectionsJanuary 2003 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; First Amendment; Officers, Directors, and Trustees |
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Constitution, Bylaws and ChartersNovember 2001 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws |
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Court Was Able to Rule in a Church Issue Involving Church Funds and the Appointment of a New MinisterNovember 1988 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Clergy - Removal |
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Court Concluded That a Motion to Fire a Minister Was Invalid Because of Improper NotificationNovember 1988 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Clergy - Removal |
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Court Ruled Church’s Property Belonged to the Parent Denomination Because of Nondoctrinal, Controlling Language in Both the Local Church’s Deed and in the Denomination’s BylawsNovember 1988 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Property |
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Court Ruled Church’s Property Was Not Owned by the DenominationSeptember 1988 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Property |
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Church Property Ownership Dispute Between a Church and the National DenominationSeptember 1988 |
Charters, Constitutions, and Bylaws; Church Property |