Federal Court in Missouri Grants Preliminary Injunction to Church Ministering...
In New Life Evangelistic Center, Inc. v. City of St. Louis (E.D. Missouri 2013), Plaintiff, a Christian Church (the “Church”), provides a wide variety of services to the homeless in Missouri, Illinois,...
View ArticleSecond Circuit Vacates Lower Court’s Dismissal of RLUIPA Claims
St. Vincent de Paul Place, Norwich, Inc. (“St. Vincent”) provides food, shelter, and other services to the poor and homeless in Norwich, Connecticut in accordance with its religious beliefs. On July...
View ArticleZoning Code’s Definitions of “Land Use” and “Structures” Unduly Burdensome,...
The plaintiff in The Life Center Inc. v. City of Elgin, Illinois (N.D. Ill. 2013), is a religious-based organization that provides services to pregnant women, including spiritual support, free...
View ArticleSeventh Circuit Rejects Bible Camp’s RLUIPA Claims
We have not yet had the opportunity to write up our thoughts about the Seventh Circuit’s decision in Eagle Cove Camp & Conference Center, Inc. v. Town of Woodboro, Wisconsin (7th Cir. 2013), but to...
View ArticleUnited States Supreme Court Declines To Review RLUIPA Case
In August, we posted about the case Parish of Jefferson v. Daughters of St. Paul Inc. (La. App. Ct. 2013) (click here to read that post). In that case, the plaintiff, a non-profit corporation with a...
View ArticleSeventh Circuit Rejects Religious Institutions’ RLUIPA Claims Over Bible Camp...
The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, in Eagle Cove Camp & Conference Center v. Town of Woodboro, Wisconsin (7th Cir. 2013), has ruled that the County of Oneida’s (the...
View ArticleNew Jersey Zoning Board Approves Hare Krishna Temple
For the past 30 years, the International Society of Krishna Consciousness of New Jersey (the “Society”) has been worshipping in a nearly century-old mansion in Towaco, New Jersey. The Society draws...
View ArticleZoning Amendment by New Jersey Town Raises Eyebrows and Threat of RLUIPA...
We previously reported about the Bernards Township Planning Board’s review of the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge’s proposal to construct a 4,252-square-foot mosque on a 4.3 acre parcel of land it...
View ArticleTemple Plans to Sue New York Town Following Denial of Proposal to Construct...
The Orthodox Sephardic Congregation Beth Eliyahu applied in 2012 to the Town of North Hempstead Zoning Board of Appeals for variances to construct a religious school for up to 350 students in a vacant...
View ArticleAtheist “Mega-Church” Coming to a Town Near You
The Sunday Assembly is a self-described “godless congregation that celebrates life.” Its motto is “live better, help often, wonder more” and its vision is “a godless congregation in every town, city...
View ArticleNew Jersey Federal Court Grants Preliminary Injunction to Muslim Group...
Al Falah Center (“Al Falah”) sought a permanent home for a mosque in the Town of Bridgewater, New Jersey (the “Town”). In the fall of 2010, Al Falah acquired title to property formerly used as a hotel...
View ArticleFederal Court Rules Parts of Utah’s Anti-Polygamy Law Unconstitutional
This past Friday the 13th, the Federal District Court for the District of Utah ruled that parts of Utah’s anti-polygamy law are unconstitutional as violations of the United States Constitution’s free...
View ArticleRecord RLUIPA Settlement of $6.5 Million in Fortress Bible Case
In what appears to be the largest amount ever paid to settle RLUIPA litigation, the Town of Greenburgh, New York has agreed to pay Fortress Bible Church (“Church”) $6.5 million to resolve its claims...
View ArticleHarvest Covenant Church Settles RLUIPA Suit Against City of Milwaukee
After more than a year of litigation, Harvest Covenant Church (“Harvest”) and the City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin (“City”) have settled Harvest’s lawsuit alleging that the City’s zoning code and its...
View ArticleFederal Court Approves Settlement of RLUIPA Suit Involving Church Using...
A little over a year ago, we reported on the case involving the O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao do Vegetal Church (UDV), which sought to build an 11,000 square foot temple on 2.5 acres of land...
View ArticleNew Jersey Town Amends Zoning Ordinance In Wake Of Court’s Ruling That...
We previously reported on the case Chai Center for Living Judaism, Inc. v. The Zoning Board of Adjustment for the Township of Millburn, No. ESX-L-9244-11 (New Jersey Superior Court 2013), in which the...
View ArticlePresident Obama Celebrates National Religious Freedom Day
President Obama celebrated National Religious Freedom Day (January 16, if any of you missed it) by issuing a proclamation to commemorate the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, which was adopted by...
View ArticleTemple Plans to Sue New York Town Following Denial of Proposal to Construct...
The Orthodox Sephardic Congregation Beth Eliyahu applied in 2012 to the Town of North Hempstead Zoning Board of Appeals for variances to construct a religious school for up to 350 students in a vacant...
View ArticleAtheist “Mega-Church” Coming to a Town Near You
The Sunday Assembly is a self-described “godless congregation that celebrates life.” Its motto is “live better, help often, wonder more” and its vision is “a godless congregation in every town, city...
View ArticleNew Jersey Federal Court Grants Preliminary Injunction to Muslim Group...
Al Falah Center (“Al Falah”) sought a permanent home for a mosque in the Town of Bridgewater, New Jersey (the “Town”). In the fall of 2010, Al Falah acquired title to property formerly used as a hotel...
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