Saturday, August 11, 2012

Religious lawsuits fill court dockets


From Colorado Springs-

Nussbaum’s practice not only covers First Amendment issues, it also deals with church property rights, tax law, secession issues and other legal cases that are unique to religious institutions.

“The whole subject of the intersection of church and civil law — it’s a huge issue,” he said. “Many things fall under it, because of the special protections under the First Amendment.”

For example, he was the lead attorney in the case to keep property within an Episcopal church after a secessionist group laid claim to it.

“That was a highly important religious freedom principle,” he said. “The freedom to discipline a minister and operate according to canon law was at stake.”

The case involved longtime minister Rev. Donald Armstrong at Grace Episcopal Church in downtown Colorado Springs. Armstrong was accused of embezzling money from the church. The main body removed him, but a section of the congregation chose to retain him — and tried to retain church property as well.

The secessionist group lost the case, and the church was able to move back into the property on Tejon Street.

More here-

http://csbj.com/2012/08/10/religious-lawsuits-fill-court-dockets/

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