Iowa to permit state employees to donate to faith-based charities - 12.10.2008
After a lawsuit by attorneys with the Christian Legal Society and Alliance Defense Fund, the Iowa Department of Administration has agreed to allow state employees to contribute to faith-based charities through its voluntary state employee charitable donation program. The state corrected rules that excluded the charities from receiving voluntary donations through a payroll deduction system. Employees will no longer be limited to non-religious charities as choices.
read more... ADF-allied attorneys secure free speech for L.A. Jews for Jesus - 12.3.2008
The city of Los Angeles has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit filed by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and allied attorneys on behalf of representatives of Jews for Jesus. Police arrested a member of the group for handing out religious material outside of an event at a public park.
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Okla. court dismisses suit seeking same-sex 'divorce' - 11.26.2008
An Oklahoma judge dismissed a lawsuit that sought a "divorce" between two women Tuesday. The Oklahoma Supreme Court had already ruled the lower court was within its authority to dismiss the divorce decree when the trial judge discovered both parties were of the same sex, but the high court returned the case to the trial court because the woman who filed the lawsuit claimed that she didn’t get a fair day in court.
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Husband retains guardianship of wife over sister-in-law, securing spouse's life - 11.25.2008
A man seeking to protect his disabled wife from having her nutrition and hydration removed by his sister-in-law succeeded in having the court name him as guardian Tuesday when the sister-in-law withdrew her application for guardianship. Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney Joel Kirkpatrick represents Robert Lavers, the husband of Heather Lavers.
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Court ruling means Modesto man free to speak - 11.20.2008
A federal court granted a motion Wednesday that allows a Christian man to freely share his faith in a Modesto public plaza while his lawsuit against the city moves forward in court. ADF attorneys filed suit on behalf of Kevin Borden in July after the city of Modesto restricted him and his friends from peacefully sharing their faith in a public plaza on Saturday evenings.
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No stay on Proposition 8, marriage defenders allowed into lawsuit - 11.19.2008
The California Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that it will not issue a stay of Proposition 8 and granted a motion by defenders of Proposition 8 led by an ADF-allied attorney to intervene in a lawsuit filed against the new marriage amendment.
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Court orders approval of Ariz. 'Choose Life' license plates - 11.19.2008
A federal court Wednesday ordered the Arizona License Plate Commission to approve a specialty license plate featuring the words "Choose Life." Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund and the Center for Arizona Policy represent the applicants for the plates, the Arizona Life Coalition.
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Delaware woman's parents now in agreement: their daughter must live - 11.19.2008
Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have reached a favorable settlement in a lawsuit that had pitted father against mother over the life of their 24-year-old daughter who suffers from severe brain injury. Because of religious conviction and heartfelt interaction with her ex-husband's family, the mother of Lauren Richardson decided to join cooperatively with Richardson's father to care for their daughter and to drop her court request to remove Richardson's feeding tube and water.
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Calif. court: Christian student free to speak as case proceeds - 11.13.2008
A federal judge ordered Yuba Community College District officials Monday to temporarily suspend enforcement of policies against a student represented by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys. Yuba College officials threatened the student, Ryan Dozier, with arrest or expulsion for sharing his faith on campus in violation of college policies that dramatically restricted free speech. For example, the college prohibits student speech without a permit outside of the school's "free speech" limits of one hour per day two days per week.
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Jindal appoints ADF attorney to La. marriage and family commission - 11.7.2008
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has appointed Alliance Defense Fund Senior Legal Counsel Mike Johnson to the Louisiana Marriage and Family Commission. Jindal chose Johnson as an individual with expertise in the legal field, as required by state statute.
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ADF: Marriage amendment victories demonstrate voters don't want activist courts - 11.5.2008
The success of state constitutional amendments on marriage that appeared on the ballot Tuesday in Arizona, California, and Florida demonstrates that voters want to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman, according to attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund.
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Settlement reached: Wis. school district no longer charging Christian club - 10.30.2008
Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund have reached a settlement with the Sun Prairie Area School District, ensuring Open Door Church of Sun Prairie that its Awana Club will no longer be required to pay discriminatory fees to meet on school property.
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Massive support for roadside crosses dedicated to fallen Utah troopers - 10.28.2008
Numerous organizations and public officials filed friend-of-the-court briefs Monday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to defend the constitutionality of roadside memorials for fallen Utah troopers. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and allied attorneys, who filed their opening appellate brief Oct. 15, represent the Utah Highway Patrol Association against American Atheists, which sued the state to remove the roadside crosses that commemorate the officers.
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Atlanta finally allows church to occupy its privately rented building - 10.24.2008
The city of Atlanta reversed course Thursday, agreeing to a consent order from a federal judge that will allow Kingdom First Ministries to begin meeting in its rented building immediately. The city made its decision after Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and allied attorneys filed suit against the city for illegitimately denying the church use of the building.
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ADF attorneys secure settlement with Shippensburg University - 10.23.2008
Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have settled a lawsuit with officials at Shippensburg University, bringing an end to the school's unconstitutional "speech codes." On behalf of a Christian student organization, the ADF Center for Academic Freedom had challenged the codes, which severely restricted students' First Amendment rights.
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A Victory for "Vanity" - 10.20.2008
As you drive around your home city, you see license plates. In recent years, more and more "personalized" vanity plates have become the focus of driver creativity and civic promotion. Most of you have options when it comes to choosing one. There are plates for unions, wildlife advocacy, university alumni, and even hospice care advocates. The state allows a portion of the proceeds from the sales of those plates go to the sponsoring organization. Arizona also offers many of these plates as options for groups, but until a recent court ruling, pro-life groups were left out.
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Court order re-opens doors for First Amendment in Wis. town - 10.14.08
A federal judge signed a court judgment against the village of Kewaskum, which had threatened a man with arrest for distributing Christian literature. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed suit in federal court in February to challenge a village ordinance that severely restricted the man’s constitutional right to free speech and religious freedom.
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Permit requirement for pro-life signs suspended in Harford County, Md. - 10.14.08
A federal judge approved an agreement that prohibits Harford County from enforcing a permit requirement for hand-held signs which Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and allied attorneys are challenging in court. ADF attorneys contend the permit requirement, used against a group of pro-life advocates arrested, jailed, shackled, and/or strip searched after they held signs and shared their message along a public street in August, is unconstitutional.
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La. AG stops voter disenfranchisement in three parishes - 10.14.08
Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund are commending the Louisiana Attorney General’s office for stepping in to resolve the possible illegal disenfranchisement of voters in at least three of the state’s parishes.
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U.S. Supreme Court clears way for specialty plates featuring 'Choose Life' message - 10.7.08
The U.S. Supreme Court denied review Monday of a challenge to an Arizona specialty license plate featuring the words "Choose Life." The decision clears the way for the license plates to be offered to the public. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund and the Center for Arizona Policy represent the plates' proponents, the Arizona Life Coalition.
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Hickory, NC officials agree to respect constitutional right to share faith - 9.30.08
Two Christians arrested for expressing their faith in public have been assured by town officials that their constitutional right to religious free speech will be respected in the future. After criminal trespassing charges against Matthew and Jesse Boyd were dropped, they asked Alliance Defense Fund attorneys to represent them with the hope that their rights and those of other Christians will be respected in the future.
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Settlement: Illinois church finally able to worship on own property - 9.24.08
The city of Carlinville has agreed to a settlement proposed by an Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney on behalf of the Carlinville Southern Baptist Church. The settlement means that the church can now use a former Wal-Mart building it purchased and renovated after the city and its mayor approved the church's use of the building and then backed out of the agreement.
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ADF-allied attorneys secure victory for religious speech at NY college - 9.11.08
A federal court ruled Tuesday that a Christian man arrested and charged with trespassing for expressing his faith on a public college campus had a constitutional right to his religious speech. Last year, a New York court acquitted Greg Davis, represented by Alliance Defense Fund allied attorneys, of criminal charges. ADF provided funding for the criminal case and the subsequent civil lawsuit.
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Alaska woman will not be starved to death - 9.9.08
An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney has secured an agreement to keep a hospitalized patient's feeding tubes in place to preserve her life.
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ADF-allied attorney secures settlement in favor of marriage amendment petitioners - 9.4.08
An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney has settled a federal lawsuit against Broward County officials in favor of citizens who were circulating petitions for the state's marriage protection amendment.
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The Right Call - 9.2.08
Larry and Katrina, a Christian couple married nearly six years, are the proud parents of two beautiful little girls, one of whom just joined the family last month. When their daughters are old enough, they will be home-schooled. "We just want to spend as much time as possible with our children," Larry said. "We want to be the primary influence on their lives." Of course, they will have that opportunity. It seems ridiculous to think that their choice to school their children in their home was ever at risk – but it was.
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Protecting Battesimo - 8.25.08
"Battesimo" is Italian for baptism, and if one Italian atheist had his way, the word – and its religious significance – would be banished. But that won't happen now, and a potentially very bad precedent of international law has been averted, thanks to an Italian Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney.
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Settlement: Christian clubs can have announcements in Deer Valley schools- 8.15.08
Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund have obtained a settlement from Deer Valley Unified School District officials that will end the district's prohibition on a Christian student club's fliers and PA announcements. The district has agreed to change policies that prohibited the meeting announcements and fliers but allowed them for other student clubs.
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Court: Ohio library can't prohibit meeting because of religious elements- 8.14.08
A federal court ruled Thursday that an Ohio library violated the Constitution when it denied Citizens for Community Values access to its meeting room on the grounds that the proposed event contained "inherent elements of a religious service." Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed suit on behalf of CCV against the Upper Arlington Public Library Board of Trustees on March 7.
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Anti-Christian group drops bid to end baptisms in Italy- 8.13.08
A group promoting anti-religious causes has dropped a legal bid to end baptisms in Italy after an Alliance Defense Fund-allied attorney became involved on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church and a bishop.
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Maricopa School District reverses course, will allow religious flier distribution- 8.13.08
Maricopa Unified School District officials have reversed course and will allow the distribution of fliers by a local church on campus. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed suit July 24 after a church and its pastor were told that they would not be permitted to distribute their fliers to students. District policy allows nonprofit organizations to distribute literature, but only if the fliers do not contain religious material.
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7th Circuit: Right to distribute religious literature affirmed- 8.13.08
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled Thursday that an ordinance restricting the distribution of religious literature in Granite City is unconstitutional, upholding a previous district court ruling. The Alliance Defense Fund has provided funding for the case, being litigated by an ADF-allied attorney, for more than four years.
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Univ. of Md. to change speech code, speech zone policies- 8.11.08
University of Maryland-Baltimore County officials agreed Friday to modify their unconstitutional "speech code" and "speech zone" policies that restricted a pro-life student group from sharing its message on campus. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom filed a lawsuit April 2 on behalf of Rock for Life students against the university after it forced the group to move its pro-life display to less visible locations.
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Calif. Court of Appeal says homeschooling OK under state law- 8.8.08
The California Court of Appeal Friday found that the California Education Code allows parents to homeschool their children, reversing its own previous decision on the matter. The decision means that parents do not have to obtain state credentials in order to educate their own children at home.
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3rd Circuit upholds ruling against Temple University "speech code"- 8.4.08
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit Monday upheld a federal judge's ruling against Temple University's former "speech code," which prevented a graduate student from expressing his beliefs and opinions in class discussions and campus conversations, violating his First Amendment right to free speech. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom represent the student, Christian DeJohn.
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11th Circuit orders Univ. of Fla.to recognize Christian fraternity- 7.30.08
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ordered University of Florida officials Wednesday to stop discriminating against a Christian fraternity, Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX), while a lawsuit filed by Christian Legal Society and Alliance Defense Fund attorneys against school officials is on appeal.
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Court rules to preserve life of Calif. woman deprived of food, water- 7.24.08
A California woman deprived of life-sustaining care, including food and water, for nearly two weeks now has a chance to live. On Tuesday, the Fresno County Superior Court ordered that Janet Rivera's feeding tube and water be reinstated until a July 29 trial. The court will decide whether the responsibility for managing Janet's medical care should be transferred from the Fresno County Public Guardian to Janet's cousin, Suzanne Emrich, who is represented by Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney Brian Chavez-Ochoa.
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Judge's ruling upholds Md. voters' right to oppose "gender identity" bill- 7.24.08
Alliance Defense Fund attorneys representing the citizen voter coalition Maryland Citizens for Responsible Government helped secure a favorable ruling from a Maryland court Thursday, giving 900,000 Montgomery County voters their right to be heard on their petition against a "gender identity" bill. Groups not wanting the will of the people to be heard on the bill attempted to disenfranchise and silence hundreds of thousands of county voters.
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CLS, ADF attorneys secure victory in Colo. student funding case- 7.23.08
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit held Wednesday that Colorado officials violated the U.S. Constitution by excluding Colorado Christian University and its students from state tuition assistance programs on the ground that the school is "pervasively sectarian." Attorneys with the Christian Legal Society and the Alliance Defense Fund are on the legal team representing CCU.
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Court refuses to reconsider ruling against Georgia Tech- 7.23.08
A federal judge Wednesday denied a request by the Georgia Institute of Technology to reconsider his previous ruling which struck down provisions of the institute's "Safe Space" training program as unconstitutional because it favored one religious denomination over another. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom represent two students, Orit Sklar and Ruth Malhotra, who were subjected to religious discrimination at the school.
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ADF achieving results internationally- 7.22.08
The Alliance Defense Fund has been actively involved in several recent international legal situations to protect families worldwide and protect America from the effects of poor international legal decisions.
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Court: Atheist organization can't sue over treatment center for troubled children- 7.18.08
Alliance Defense Fund attorneys say a federal court made the right call Thursday in rejecting a lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation over state referrals to a non-profit, church-affiliated treatment center for troubled children.
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Calif. Supreme Court rejects lawsuit against Calif. marriage amendment- 7.16.08
Alliance Defense Fund and ProtectMarriage attorneys are calling the California Supreme Court's rejection of a lawsuit against the state's proposed marriage amendment an appropriate decision on a frivolous lawsuit. The attorneys say they will vigorously defend against any additional legal attacks filed to deny the right of Californians to vote on marriage.
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Alaska court: Tax exemption for religious school constitutional- 7.10.08
An Alaska court has ruled that a property tax exemption for religious schools does not violate either the state or federal constitution. ADF-allied attorney Kevin Clarkson represented two churches in the case.
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Settlement ensures rights of Michigan church will be respected- 7.9.08
A Michigan church has reached a favorable settlement in a lawsuit filed by an Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney against the city of Muskegon. The city planning commission had unlawfully prohibited the church from using a vacant car dealership as a house of worship but has now agreed to allow the congregation to use the building.
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Settlement secured for group barred from expressing faith in N.Y. park - 7.3.08
An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney has secured a settlement on behalf of members of a Christian group barred from expressing their faith in a public park. The free speech rights of Jews for Jesus members were violated when Oyster Bay officials placed numerous restrictions on their activities, including a threat to remove them from the area if any patrons were "offended" by their message.
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Oklahoma Supreme Court: Judge okay to vacate same-sex couple's "divorce" - 7.2.08
The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a state judge acted within his authority when he vacated a divorce unknowingly granted to two women. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case in October 2007 on behalf of then-Oklahoma Speaker of the House Lance Cargill, arguing that the state cannot grant a divorce to two people when the state does not even recognize them as married.
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Free Speech and Pagan Pride - 7.1.08
The first American settlers were Christians who came here to escape religious persecution. And in doing so, they also provided a haven for others who were not free to worship God in the manner they chose. But today, without legal support, too many Christians are not free to preach God's Word on American soil. A situation that arose recently in Grand Rapids, Michigan, shows that the very freedoms the pilgrims risked their lives to obtain are not always guaranteed.
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