Internet: Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life Report on “Churches in Court. The Legal Status of Religious Organizations in Civil Lawsuits (March 2011)

Churches in Court
The Legal Status of Religious Organizations in Civil Lawsuits
March 31, 2011
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www.pewforum.org

In an ongoing series of occasional reports, “Religion and the Courts: The Pillars of Church-State Law,” the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life explores the complex, fluid relationship between government and religion. Among the issues to be examined are religion in public schools, displays of religious symbols on public property, conflicts concerning the free exercise of religion, and government funding of faith-based organizations.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Internal Property Disputes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Sidebar:
Property Disputes in the Episcopal Church . . . 10
Employment of Clergy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Discipline of Religious Groups’ Members . .15
Sidebar: Significant Supreme Court Rulings . . . . 18
Lawsuits Arising from Misconduct . . . . . . . 20
Vicarious Liability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Institutional Breach of Fiduciary Duty . . . . 21
Organizational Negligence . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Looking Ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25