Legal News

Christian Legal Society to challenge appellate 'viewpoint neutral' ruling

By Richard Binder

The Christian Legal Society's chapter at the University of California Hastings College of Law is challenging a lower appellate court ruling that the law school's open membership rule prohibiting registered students groups from discriminating on the basis of religion or sexual orientation is "viewpoint neutral and reasonable."

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled in March that the law school was not required to recognize and fund a religious student group that discriminates in the selection of members and officers. CLS is the only group from which the law school has withheld recognition.

For 10 years ? from 1994 to 2004 ? CLS did not bar gay and lesbian or non-Christian students from membership and leadership positions. But in 2004, the group changed its bylaws and refused to comply with the law school's nondiscrimination policy.

Full story at NLJ.com.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on September 29, 2009 (boomark / email).