Pastor, Church & Law

Table of Contents

• 1Definitions and Status

  • § 1.01Distinctions Between the Terms Pastor, Clergy, Minister

  • § 1.02Definition of the Terms Pastor, Clergy, Minister — In General

  • § 1.03Status—Employee or Self Employed

    • § 1.03.01Social Security

    • § 1.03.02Income Taxes

    • § 1.03.03Retirement Plans

    • § 1.03.04Legal Liability

    • § 1.03.05Miscellaneous Federal and State Statutes

  • § 1.04Status—Ordained, Commissioned, or Licensed

• 2The Pastor-Church Relationship

  • § 2.01Initiating the Relationship—In General

    • § 2.01.01Congregational Churches

    • § 2.01.02Hierarchical Churches

    • § 2.01.03Compliance with a Church's Governing Instrument in the Selection of a Minister

    • § 2.01.04Civil Court Review of Clergy Selection Disputes—the General Rule of Non-Intervention

    • § 2.01.05Civil Court Review of Clergy Selection Disputes—Limited Exceptions to the General Rule

    • § 2.01.06Negligent Selection

  • § 2.02The Contract

  • § 2.03Compensation

  • § 2.04Termination

    • § 2.04.01Civil Court Review of Clergy Termination Disputes—the General Rule of Non-Intervention

    • § 2.04.02Civil Court Review of Clergy Termination Disputes—Limited Exceptions to the General Rule

    • § 2.04.03Civil Court Review of Clergy Termination Disputes—"Exhaustion" of Ecclesiastical Remedies

• 3Authority, Rights, and Privileges

  • § 3.01General Scope of a Minister's Authority

  • § 3.02Officer of the Church Corporation

  • § 3.03Property Matters

  • § 3.04Performance of Marriage Ceremonies

  • § 3.05Exemption from Military Duty

  • § 3.06Exemption From Jury Duty

  • § 3.07The Clergy-Penitent Privilege—In General

    • § 3.07.01A "Communication"

    • § 3.07.02Made in Confidence

    • § 3.07.03To a Minister

    • § 3.07.04Acting in a Professional Capacity as a Spiritual Adviser

    • § 3.07.05In the Course of Discipline

  • § 3.08The Clergy-Penitent Privilege—Miscellaneous Issues

    • § 3.08.01Clergy-Parishioner Relationship

    • § 3.08.02Marriage Counseling

    • § 3.08.03Who May Assert the Privilege

    • § 3.08.04When to Assert the Privilege

    • § 3.08.05Waiver of the Privilege

    • § 3.08.06The Privilege in Federal Courts

    • § 3.08.07Constitutionality of the Privilege

    • § 3.08.08Child Abuse Reporting

    • § 3.08.09Confidentiality

    • § 3.08.10Disclosure to Civil Authorities

    • § 3.08.11Church Records

    • § 3.08.12Death of the Counselee

  • § 3.09Visiting Privileges at Penal Institutions

  • § 3.10Immigration of Alien Ministers, Religious Vocations, and Religious Occupations

  • § 3.11Miscellaneous Benefits

• 4Liabilities, Limitations, and Restrictions

  • § 4.01Negligence

  • § 4.02Defamation—In General

    • § 4.02.01Pastors Who Are Sued for Making Defamatory Statements

    • § 4.02.02Pastors Who Are Victims of Defamation

    • § 4.02.03Defenses

  • § 4.03Undue Influence

  • § 4.04Invasion of Privacy

  • § 4.05Clergy Malpractice

  • § 4.06Contract Liability

  • § 4.07Securities Law Violations

  • § 4.08Failure to Report Child Abuse

  • § 4.09Diversion of Church Funds

  • § 4.10State Regulation of Psychologists and Counselors

  • § 4.11Sexual Misconduct

    • § 4.11.01Theories of Liability

    • § 4.11.02Defenses to Liability

• 5Definitions

  • § 5.01Tax Legislation—Federal

    • § 5.01.01Churches

    • § 5.01.02Mail Order Churches

    • § 5.01.03Other Religious Organizations

    • § 5.01.04Tax Legislation—State

  • § 5.02Zoning Law

    • § 5.02.01Churches

    • § 5.02.02Accessory Uses

• 6Organization and Administration

  • § 6.01Unincorporated Associations

    • § 6.01.01Characteristics

    • § 6.01.02Personal Liability of Members

    • § 6.01.03Creation and Administration

  • § 6.02Corporations

    • § 6.02.01The Incorporation Process

    • § 6.02.02Charters, Constitutions, Bylaws, and Resolutions

  • § 6.03Church Records

    • § 6.03.01Inspection

    • § 6.03.02“Accountings” of Church Funds

    • § 6.03.03Public Inspection of Tax-Exemption Applications

    • § 6.03.04Government Inspection of Donor and Membership Lists

    • § 6.03.05The Church Audit Procedures Act

    • § 6.03.06Who Owns a Church’s Accounting Records?

  • § 6.04Reporting Requirements

    • § 6.04.01State Law

    • § 6.04.02Federal Law

  • § 6.05Church Names

  • § 6.06Officers, Directors, and Trustees—In General

    • § 6.06.01Election or Appointment

    • § 6.06.02Authority

    • § 6.06.03Meetings

    • § 6.06.04Removal

  • § 6.07Officers, Directors, and Trustees—Personal Liability

    • § 6.07.01Tort Liability

    • § 6.07.02Contract Liability

    • § 6.07.03Breach of the Fiduciary Duty of Care

    • § 6.07.04Breach of the Fiduciary Duty of Loyalty

    • § 6.07.05Violation of Trust Terms

    • § 6.07.06Securities Law

    • § 6.07.07Wrongful Discharge of an Employee

    • § 6.07.08Willful Failure to Withhold Taxes

    • § 6.07.09Exceeding the Authority of the Board

    • § 6.07.10Loans to Directors

  • § 6.08Immunity Statutes

    • § 6.08.01Directors and Officers Insurance

  • § 6.09Members—In General

    • § 6.09.01Selection and Qualifications

    • § 6.09.02Authority

  • § 6.10Members—Discipline and Dismissal

    • § 6.10.01Judicial Nonintervention

    • § 6.10.02“Marginal” Civil Court Review

    • § 6.10.03Preconditions to Civil Court Review

    • § 6.10.04Remedies for Improper Discipline or Dismissal

  • § 6.11Members—Personal Liability

  • § 6.12Meetings of Members

    • § 6.12.01Procedural Requirements

    • § 6.12.02Minutes

    • § 6.12.03Parliamentary Procedure

    • § 6.12.04Effect of Procedural Irregularities

    • § 6.12.05Judicial Supervision of Church Elections

    • § 6.12.06Who May Attend

  • § 6.13Powers of a Local Church

  • § 6.14Merger and Consolidation

  • § 6.15Dissolution

• 7Church Property

  • § 7.01Church Property Disputes—In General

  • § 7.02Church Property Disputes—Supreme Court Rulings

  • § 7.03State and Lower Federal Court Rulings

    • § 7.03.01Congregational Churches

    • § 7.03.02Hierarchical Churches—the Compulsory Deference Rule

    • § 7.03.03Hierarchical Churches—Neutral Principle of Law

  • § 7.04Church Property Disputes—Dispute Resolution Procedures

  • § 7.05Transferring Church Property

  • § 7.06Zoning Law

    • § 7.06.01The Majority View: Churches May Build in Residential Zones

    • § 7.06.02The Minority View: The Government May Restrict Church Construction in Residential Zones

    • § 7.06.03Legal Remedies Available to Churches

    • § 7.06.04The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA)

  • § 7.07Restricting Certain Activities Near Church Property

  • § 7.08Building Codes

    • § 7.08.01Lead Paint on Church Property

  • § 7.09Nuisance

  • § 7.10Landmarking

  • § 7.11Eminent Domain

  • § 7.12Defacing Church Property

  • § 7.13Restrictive Covenants

  • § 7.14Reversion of Church Property to the Prior Owner

  • § 7.15Materialmen’s Liens

  • § 7.16Religious Discrimination in the Sale or Rental of Church Property

  • § 7.17Removing Disruptive Individuals

  • § 7.18Adverse Possession

  • § 7.19Accounting for Depreciation

  • § 7.20Premises Liability

    • § 7.20.01Liability Based on Status as Invitee, Licensee, or Trespasser

    • § 7.20.02Defenses to Premises Liability

    • § 7.20.03Use of Church Property by Outside Groups

    • § 7.20.04Assaults on Church Property

    • § 7.20.05Skate Ramps

    • § 7.20.06Sound Rooms

  • § 7.21Embezzlement

  • § 7.22Places of Public Accommodation

• 8Employment Law

  • § 8.01Introduction: Selection of Employees

  • § 8.02New Hire Reporting

  • § 8.03Employment Eligibility Verification

  • § 8.04Immigration

  • § 8.05Negligent Selection

  • § 8.06Introduction: Compensation and Benefits

  • § 8.07Workers Compensation

    • § 8.07.01Treatment of Churches

    • § 8.07.02Compensating Employees Who Are Receiving Workers Compensation Benefits

    • § 8.07.03Dismissing Employees for Filing a Workers Compensation Claim

  • § 8.08Fair Labor Standards Act

    • § 8.08.01Enterprises

    • § 8.08.02Individual Coverage

    • § 8.08.03Federal Court Rulings

    • § 8.08.04Department of Labor Opinion Letters

    • § 8.08.05Exemptions

    • § 8.08.06Ministers

    • § 8.08.07State Laws

    • § 8.08.08Case Studies

  • § 8.09Introduction to Federal Employment and Civil Rights Laws—The “Commerce” Requirement

    • § 8.09.01Counting Employees

  • § 8.10The “Ministerial Exception” under State and Federal Employment Laws

    • § 8.10.01Cases Recognizing the Ministerial Exception

    • § 8.10.02Cases Not Recognizing the Ministerial Exception

  • § 8.11Procedure for Establishing a Discrimination Claim

  • § 8.12Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

    • § 8.12.01Application to Religious Organizations

    • § 8.12.02Application to Religious Educational Institutions

    • § 8.12.03Religion as a "Bona Fide Occupational Qualification"

    • § 8.12.04Discrimination Based on Religion or Morals

    • § 8.12.05Sexual Harassment

    • § 8.12.06The Catholic Bishop Case

    • § 8.12.07Failure to Accommodate Employees’ Religious Practices

    • § 8.12.08The Religious Freedom Restoration Act

    • § 8.12.09The Civil Rights Act of 1991

  • § 8.13The Age Discrimination in Employment Act

  • § 8.14The Americans with Disabilities Act

    • § 8.14.01Discrimination in Employment

    • § 8.14.02Discrimination in Public Accommodations

  • § 8.15Family and Medical Leave Act

  • § 8.16Employer “Retaliation” Against Victims of Discrimination

  • § 8.17Discrimination Based on Military Status

  • § 8.18Employee Polygraph Protection Act

  • § 8.19Occupational Safety and Health Act

  • § 8.20Display of Posters

  • § 8.21Discrimination under State Laws

    • § 8.21.01General Employment Discrimination Laws 

    • § 8.21.02Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation

    • § 8.21.03Discrimination Based on Use of Legal Substances

  • § 8.22Termination of Employees

    • § 8.22.01Severance Agreements

  • § 8.23National Labor Relations Act

  • § 8.24Reference Letters

  • § 8.25Employee Evaluations 

  • § 8.26Employment Interviews

  • § 8.27Arbitration

  • § 8.28Employee Handbooks

  • § 8.29Employee Privacy

  • § 8.30Insurance 

• 9Government Regulation of Churches

  • § 9.01Introduction

  • § 9.02Regulation of Charitable Solicitations

  • § 9.03Limitations on Charitable Giving

  • § 9.04Federal and State Securities Law

  • § 9.05Copyright Law

    • § 9.05.01Copyright Ownership

    • § 9.05.02Works Made for Hire

    • § 9.05.03Exclusive Rights

    • § 9.05.04Infringement

    • § 9.05.05The "Religious Service" Exemption to Copyright Infringement

    • § 9.05.06Electronic Media

    • § 9.05.10Other Exceptions to Copyright Infringement

  • § 9.06Government Investigations

  • § 9.07Judicial Resolution of Church Disputes

  • § 9.08Political Activities by Churches and Other Religious Organizations

  • § 9.09Bankruptcy Law

• 10Church Legal Liability

  • § 10.01Negligence as a Basis for Liability—In General

  • § 10.02Vicarious Liability (Respondeat Superior)

    • § 10.02.01The Requirement of Employee Status

    • § 10.02.02Negligent Conduct

    • § 10.02.03Course of Employment

    • § 10.02.04Inapplicability to Nonprofit Organizations

  • § 10.03Negligent Selection of Church Workers—In General

  • § 10.04Negligent Selection of Church Workers—Sexual Misconduct Cases Involving Minor Victims

    • § 10.04.01Court Decisions Recognizing Negligent Selection Claims

    • § 10.04.02Court Decisions Rejecting Negligent Selection Claims

    • § 10.04.03Risk Management

    • § 10.04.04The Relevance of Sexual Orientation in Selecting Youth or Children’s Workers

  • § 10.05Negligent Selection of Church Workers—Sexual Misconduct Cases Involving Adult Victims

    • § 10.05.01Court Decisions Recognizing Negligent Selection Claims

    • § 10.05.02Court Decisions Rejecting Negligent Selection Claims

    • § 10.05.03Risk Management

  • § 10.06Negligent Selection of Church Workers—Other Cases

  • § 10.07Negligent Retention of Church Workers—In General

    • § 10.07.01Court Decisions Recognizing Negligent Retention Claims

    • § 10.07.02Court Decisions Rejecting Negligent Retention Claims

    • § 10.07.03Risk Management

  • § 10.08Negligent Supervision of Church Workers—In General

  • § 10.09Negligent Supervision of Church Workers—Sexual Misconduct Cases Involving Minor Victims

    • § 10.09.01Court Decisions Recognizing Negligent Supervision Claims

    • § 10.09.02Court Decisions Rejecting Negligent Supervision Claims

    • § 10.09.03Risk Management

  • § 10.10Negligent Supervision of Church Workers—Sexual Misconduct Cases Involving Adult Victims

    • § 10.10.01Court Decisions Recognizing Negligent Supervision Claims

    • § 10.10.02Court Decisions Rejecting Negligent Supervision Claims

    • § 10.10.03Risk Management

  • § 10.11Negligent Supervision of Church Workers—Other Cases

    • § 10.11.01Risk Management

  • § 10.12Counseling—In General

    • § 10.12.01Risk Management

  • § 10.13Breach of a Fiduciary Duty

    • § 10.13.01Court Decisions Recognizing Fiduciary Duty Claims

    • § 10.13.02Court Decisions Rejecting Fiduciary Duty Claims

    • § 10.13.03Risk Management

  • § 10.14Ratification

  • § 10.15Defamation

  • § 10.16Defenses to Liability

    • § 10.16.01Contributory and Comparative Negligence

    • § 10.16.02Assumption of Risk

    • § 10.16.03Intervening Cause

    • § 10.16.04Statutes of Limitations

    • § 10.16.05Charitable Immunity

    • § 10.16.06Release Forms

    • § 10.16.07Insurance

    • § 10.16.08Other Defenses

  • § 10.17Damages—In General

    • § 10.17.01Punitive Damages

    • § 10.17.02Duplicate Verdicts

  • § 10.18Denominational Liability—In General

    • § 10.18.01Court Decisions Recognizing Vicarious Liability

    • § 10.18.02Court Decisions Rejecting Vicarious Liability

    • § 10.18.03Defenses to Liability

    • § 10.18.04Risk Management

    • § 10.18.05The Legal Effect of a Group Exemption Ruling

  • § 10.19Risks Associated with Cell Phones

  • § 10.20Risks Associated with the Use of 15-Passenger Vans

• 11A Summary of Constitutional History

• 12The Present Meaning of the First Amendment Religion Clauses

  • § 12.01The Establishment Clause

    • § 12.01.01The Lemon Test

  • § 12.02The Free Exercise Clause

    • § 12.02.01The Smith Case

    • § 12.02.02The Religious Freedom Restoration Act

    • § 12.02.03The City of Boerne Case

    • § 12.02.04Conclusions

• 13Significant First Amendment Issues

  • § 13.01The Right to Witness

  • § 13.02Prayer on Public Property other than Schools

  • § 13.03Prayer During Public School Activities

  • § 13.04Display of Religious Symbols on Public Property

  • § 13.05Recurring Use of Public Property by Religious Congregations for Religious Services

  • § 13.06Nonrecurring Use of Public Property by Adults for Religious Events and Activities

  • § 13.07Use of Public School Property by Students for Religious Purposes

  • § 13.08Sunday Closing Laws

  • § 13.09The Right to Refuse Medical Treatment

  • § 13.10Definition of "Religion" and "Religious"