Major Church-State Issues Pending Before Court

[lawyerlee]

Major Church-State Issues Pending (http://apnews.excite.com/article/20050628/D8B0PN0G0.html)

Jun 28, 2:48 PM (ET)

By The Associated Press

A sampling of the church-state cases yet to be sorted out by federal courts following the Supreme Court's Ten Commandments rulings:

- Pledge of Allegiance: Lawsuit in Sacramento challenging the words "under God" in the Pledge recited by public schoolchildren. The Supreme Court last year threw out the lawsuit by Michael Newdow on grounds he didn't have legal custody of his daughter. But Newdow has filed a new lawsuit with parents who do.

- Ten Commandments: Lawsuits challenging Commandments monuments donated by the Fraternal Order of the Eagles that sit outside police buildings in Washington State and in city parks in Nebraska, as well as framed copies in several courthouses that don't have a history of religious purpose behind them.

- Creationism: Lawsuit by parents in Pennsylvania public school district, where the school officials require that science courses present "Intelligent Design" as an alternative to evolution. Critics say "Intelligent Design" is a form of creationism that entangles church and state.

- Government funding: Lawsuit challenging federal law that would provide $10 million in federal funds to restore 21 mission churches in California, 19 of which are owned by the Roman Catholic Church.

- Prison ministry: Lawsuit challenging Iowa's support of a prison ministry program called "InnerChange Freedom Initiative." The Newton Correctional Facility in Iowa provides funds to the ministry program, which promotes Christianity.

- Religious symbols: Student suing Florida school after officials ordered her to remove religious words and symbols from murals painted for a school beautification project. Murals included a crucifix and read "Jesus has time for you; do you have time for Him?"

Source: AP research, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, American Center for Law and Justice.

[lawyerlee]

Appeals on Commandments Displays Rejected (http://apnews.excite.com/article/20050629/D8B10HA81.html)

The court appeared to underscore some of the lines it drew Monday, letting stand Tuesday four lower court rulings that struck down Ten Commandments displays in schools and courtrooms in Kentucky and Ohio because they were overly religious.

A fifth appeal - of a ruling that barred South Carolina town council from opening its meetings with a prayer invoking Jesus Christ - also was rejected. The Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had found that it improperly favored one denomination.

Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, predicted many more lawsuits ahead as federal courts and partisans sort through all the implications of Monday's rulings.

"There's going to be a healthy amount of litigation," Lynn said. "I just wish justices had a clear, bright-line rule that says government buildings aren't churches. But unfortunately Mr. Breyer didn't go that far, so that's where we stand."

[lawyerlee]

Prison ministry: Lawsuit challenging Iowa's support of a prison ministry program called "InnerChange Freedom Initiative." The Newton Correctional Facility in Iowa provides funds to the ministry program, which promotes Christianity
InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI) operates a prison ministry program with the Kansas Department of Corrections at Ellsworth Correctional Facility, so I am very interested to see how the Court rules on this case.