How to Get Arrested for Marrying Same-Sex Couples

There has been a lot of hubbub going around news outlets, blogs, and social media about how Republicans have changed the law in Indiana (my beloved home state) to make it a crime for same-sex couples to apply for  marriage licenses and “for clergy to conduct weddings for gay couples.” (Emphasis from Americablog.)

Nothing New Here

As several sources have pointed out (again, blog and news outlet alike), these accounts are off target. The laws are not new, and they do not explicitly target same-sex couples. The only thing that is new is the name Indiana gives to the category of crime committed.

Master Meeting Minutes (free article for a limited time from Church and Tax Law)

Free for a limited time, some helpful tips for creating great minutes for church meetings: http://bit.ly/15Q3HOx . (http://churchlawandtax.com )

Have a question about legal issues affecting religious organizations? Let me know at questions@lawmeetsgospel.com or @LawMeetsGospel.

National Day of Prayer

It's National Day of Prayer. Pray for all who protect our freedoms and for those without those freedoms. http://wh.gov/zxwf 

Cert. Denied in Indiana Church Property Dispute

The Supreme Court of the United States denied certiorari in a dispute between the Presbyterian Church U.S.A. and a congregation that decided to leave the denomination. The Indiana Supreme Court had returned the case to the trial court for facts to be determined at trial rather than by summary judgment. Access the Supreme Court list of today’s orders here, the Indiana Supreme Court’s decision here, and the vacated Indiana Court of Appeals decision here. Find audio and video of oral arguments at the Indiana Supreme Court here and at the Court of Appeals here.

The Indiana Lawyer reported the case here. It had previously reported on the Indiana Supreme Court’s grant of transfer here and its decision here. It had reported on the Court of Appeals decision here.

The case will now return to the Vanderburgh Circuit Court for further proceedings.

Have a question about legal issues affecting religious organizations? Let me know at questions@lawmeetsgospel.com or @LawMeetsGospel.