Religion & Law

England: Lord Mayor of Leicester bans prayers before council meetings
The Christian Institute: "The Lord Mayor of Leicester has banned Christian prayers before council meetings, and branded the process 'outdated, unnecessary and intrusive'. Colin Hall?s decision to abolish the prayers is likely to alarm many Christians who feel their faith is being increasingly excluded from the public sphere...

UK: Ban councils Christian prayers, say secularists
Christian Institute: "A secular campaign group is trying to use the courts to ban a North Devon Council from starting its meetings with Christian prayers. Bideford Town Council has had prayers at its meetings since the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, but now the National Secular Society (NSS) says the practice infringes the human rights of non-believers...

UK: Council drops prayers for poetry readings
The Christian Institute: "A London council is set to stop beginning its meetings with Christian prayers, and replace them with poetry readings. ... Many councils choose to start their meetings with Christian prayers, but Jayne Buckland, the Mayor of Enfield, has chosen to replace them in a bid to 'support and encourage the arts'...

UK: Christian prayers at Helston Town Council are non-PC
This is Cornwall: "Town council members have been criticised for holding Christian-only prayers at the beginning of meetings. Pat Woodhouse, who has attended a number of recent Helston Town Council meetings as a member of the public ? and is considering standing for a seat ? asked if the practice was now politically correct...

Bakersfield council prayers too Christian
Bakersfield.com: "Bakersfield is the second city in Kern County to have prayers at city council meetings challenged by the Freedom From Religion Foundation Inc., a Wisconsin nonprofit with a membership of mostly atheists and agnostics...

Prayers At Honolulu City Council Questioned
Yesterday's Honolulu Advertiser reports that Hawai'i Citizens for Separation of State and Church has filed a complaint with Honolulu City Council contending that since January 2008, 25 out of 27 Council meetings have been opened by Christian prayer or sermonizing...

Alabama Restaurant Association Hires Legal Council to Help Members Damaged by BP Oil Spill
Alabama Restaurant Association Hires Legal Council to Help Members Damaged by BP Oil Spill>

Menu Food
$240,000 settlement reached in Hawaii class action contaminated pet food suit.

Probation User Fees
Clark County Council pays $1.1 million settlement after misappropriating funds.