Church Legal Center

$7.1M

Property Tax Law

The First Presbyterian Church of Miami received a $7,100,000 retroactive tax bill for allegedly leasing a portion of its church grounds to a for-profit school with food trucks, risking its property tax exemption.

$800,000

Embezzlement

A former minister of Houston’s First Baptist church was sentenced to 10 years in prison for stealing $800,000.00 from his church over a period of seven years.

$250,000

Religious Land Use Dispute

Tampa Federal Court ordered the City of St. Pete Beach to pay Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church $250,000 in attorney fees and costs in a legal battle over its alleged improper public use of its parking lot. The case involved the application of the Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act. The parties settled.

Employment Discrimination

The US Justice Department reached a settlement with Temple Beth El, a synagogue in Boca Raton, for employment discrimination against a prospective employee by requiring specific identification for non-US citizens.

Defamation

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that pastors and their church are not liable for defamation for statements made during formal church disciplinary proceedings, provided communication was limited to church members and participants. Case: LaVonne Pfeil vs. St. Matthews Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Insurance Claim

A church in Florida received the full limits of its insurance coverage after being hit by Hurricane Charlie in 2004, with Attorney John Joseph's assistance in dealing with the insurance company.