Church Property – Part 2
A church's deed that gave the prior owner of the church's property an option to purchase the property in the event that the church ever discontinued using it for church purposes.
Facility Use
Taxation—Church Property
A Kansas court denied a property tax exemption to a church that allowed a for-profit corporation to conduct a child care program on church property.
Church Property
A clause in a church deed limiting any future conveyance of the property to "Protestant evangelical churches" was not enforceable.
Church Property – Part 2
A Texas court ruled that a church had to be evicted from its property because its use of the property for religious purposes violated a "restrictive covenant" in a prior deed.
Injuries on Church Property During Use by Outside Groups
When is a church subject to liability?
Church Property – Part 1
A city ordinance requiring a church to "tap in" to a city sewer line, at a substantial cost, did not violate the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) or the First Amendment.
Church Property – Part 2
A Washington court ruled that a clause in a church deed limiting any future conveyance of the property to "Protestant evangelical churches" was invalidated by state law.
Zoning – Part 1
A Michigan court ruled that a trial court acted improperly in dismissing a church's claim that a city violated RLUIPA.
Zoning – Part 2
A Missouri court ruled that a city did not violate the first amendment guaranty of religious freedom in refusing to grant a church's request for a permit to construct a sign on its property.
Taxation—Church Property
A Pennsylvania court ruled that a church's fellowship hall that was used for weekly Bible study classes constituted "religious worship" and therefore was exempt from property taxes.
Zoning – Part 1
A Washington court ruled that a county zoning board did not violate the First Amendment by denying a denominational headquarters the right to build.
Church Property – Part 2
A Missouri court ruled that a "restrictive covenant" contained in the deed to church property prevented a church from building a parking lot.
Zoning – Part 2
A Pennsylvania court ruled that a commercial child care center was a permissible "accessory use" of church property under the zoning ordinance.
Zoning – Part 3
A federal court in New York ruled that a city's refusal to issue a special use permit to allow a religious day school to expand its facilities violated federal law.
Taxation—Church Property
An Illinois court ruled that a church-owned home used primarily as a residence for a teacher in the church's school did not qualify for exemption from property taxation.
Personal Injuries on Church Property and During Church Activities – Part 1
An Ohio court ruled that an indemnification clause in a "facility use agreement" required a charity that used a nonprofit camp to reimburse the camp for any legal judgments or settlements arising out of injuries occurring at the camp.
Freedom of Religion – Part 1
A federal court in New York ruled that a public school could not bar a church from renting school property on Sunday mornings for religious worship services.
Churches—Definition
The Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that the term “church” is not limited to buildings that are owned by a religious congregation, but also includes rented facilities.
Church Property – Part 1
A New York court ruled that a church could transfer its property despite a provision in its deed that required the property to be used forever for religious purposes.
Taxation—Church Property
The New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled that a church-operated campground did not qualify for exemption from property tax, except for a small chapel.