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Full-Text Articles in Religion Law

How To Apply The Religious Freedom Restoration Act To Federal Law Without Violating The Constitution, Gregory P. Magarian Aug 2001

How To Apply The Religious Freedom Restoration Act To Federal Law Without Violating The Constitution, Gregory P. Magarian

Michigan Law Review

Learned commentators have called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 ("RFRA" or "the Act") "perhaps the most unconstitutional statute in the history of the nation" and "the most egregious violation of the separation of powers doctrine in American constitutional history." In the 1997 case of City of Boerne v. Flores, the Supreme Court struck down the Act in its applications to state and local governments, declaring that "RFRA contradicts vital principles necessary to maintain separation of powers and the federal balance." The Act's applications to federal law, however, survived Boerne, which means that plaintiffs with religious freedom claims against …


The Qualities Of Completeness: More? Or Less?, Mark R. Killenbeck May 1999

The Qualities Of Completeness: More? Or Less?, Mark R. Killenbeck

Michigan Law Review

On January 14, 1983, Chief Judge W. Brevard Hand announced what he knew would be widely regarded as a rather startling proposition. Believing that "[t]he first amendment in large part was a guarantee to the states which insured that the states would be able to continue whatever church-state relationship existed in 1791," Judge Hand held that the people of Alabama were perfectly free to "establish[] a religion," in this instance by allowing public school teachers to begin the school day with prayer. The ruling reversed an earlier decision in the same case, which characterized the statutory provision at issue as …


Enforceability Of Religious Law In Secular Courts--It's Kosher, But Is It Constitutional?, Michigan Law Review Aug 1973

Enforceability Of Religious Law In Secular Courts--It's Kosher, But Is It Constitutional?, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

In several different contexts-for example, in enforcing contracts that refer to religious law or in enforcing secular laws that use religious terminology-secular courts may be called upon to apply and even to interpret laws established by religious bodies. The limitations imposed by the first amendment on the courts in these areas will be discussed here in the specific context of Judaism. It is the thesis of this Note that the courts may not be as constrained in enforcing laws of religious bodies and in resolving disputes about those laws as would appear at first glance.


The Elementary And Secondary Education Act The Implications Of The Trust-Fund Theory For The Church-State Questions Raised By Title I, Jon Feikens Apr 1967

The Elementary And Secondary Education Act The Implications Of The Trust-Fund Theory For The Church-State Questions Raised By Title I, Jon Feikens

Michigan Law Review

The issues raised by the granting of federal aid both to education in general and to non-public education in particular have caused considerable controversy in recent years. Although several federal statutes dealing with various aspects of both types of aid had been enacted previously, the early 1960's saw an increased desire on the part of Congress to enter this area with a comprehensive plan. Finally, in 1965, the question of aid to education in general was resolved in favor of carrying the war on poverty to the elementary and secondary schools. Simultaneously, a so-called "church-state settlement" was reached whereby it …


Constitutional Law-Church And State-Shared Time: Indirect Aid To Parochial Schools, Michigan Law Review Apr 1967

Constitutional Law-Church And State-Shared Time: Indirect Aid To Parochial Schools, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

For over forty years, public schools have been participating in shared time programs pursuant to which non-public school children attend public schools for instruction in one or more subjects during the regular school day. Since ninety per cent of the pupils in nonpublic elementary and secondary schools are in Roman Catholic schools, shared time-or, as it is also known, dual enrollment raises questions of an establishment of religion in contravention of the provisions of the first amendment to the Constitution. To date, no court has faced this constitutional issue and only three state courts have ruled upon the validity of …


Municipal Corporations - Zoning - Exclusion Of Churches From Residential Area, William R. Luney S.Ed. Feb 1957

Municipal Corporations - Zoning - Exclusion Of Churches From Residential Area, William R. Luney S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

In two recent New York cases churches sought permits to use residential property for church purposes, including worship, social gatherings, construction of an adjacent parking lot, and, in one case, establishment of a school and playground. In each case the zoning board denied the permit on grounds that a church would change the residential character of the neighborhood, decrease the enjoyment of neighboring property, depreciate property values, and that the contemplated use of the property for other than worship was prohibited by the ordinance. The lower court upheld the decisions of both zoning boards. On appeal to the New York …


Constitutional Law-Church And State-Distribution Of Gideon Bible In Public Schools, Raymond R. Trombadore S.Ed. May 1954

Constitutional Law-Church And State-Distribution Of Gideon Bible In Public Schools, Raymond R. Trombadore S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The Gideons International, a non-profit religious corporation, applied by letter to the Board of Education of the Borough of Rutherford, New Jersey, for permission to distribute free copies of the Gideon Bible to pupils of the public schools of that community. By resolution passed at a regular meeting of the board, permission was granted for distribution to pupils whose parents requested copies of the Bible. Prior to distribution, suit for injunction was commenced by parents of Jewish and Catholic pupils to determine the validity of the distribution under the federal and New Jersey constitutions. The trial court found for defendants. …


Judgments--Criteria Of Finality Of State Court Decrees For The Purpose Of Federal Review, John M. Veale S.Ed. Nov 1947

Judgments--Criteria Of Finality Of State Court Decrees For The Purpose Of Federal Review, John M. Veale S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

At the suit of the plaintiff, an incorporated religious organization, a permanent injunction issued from a lower state court enjoining the enforcement of certain ordinances of the defendant City of Los Angeles on the ground that they violated the plaintiff's religious liberty under the Constitutions of California and the United States. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court of California which sustained the ordinances as Constitutional and entered a judgment which provided " . . . the Judgment . . . in the above cause . . . is hereby reversed." On plaintiff's appeal, defendant questioned the jurisdiction of …


Constitutional Law-Establishment Of Religion, Due Process, And Equal Protection-Public Aid To Parochial Schools, P. F. Westbrook, Jr. S.Ed. Jun 1947

Constitutional Law-Establishment Of Religion, Due Process, And Equal Protection-Public Aid To Parochial Schools, P. F. Westbrook, Jr. S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

It is the purpose of this comment to examine the validity of conclusions reached on the facts of the Everson case. But what was said in the majority opinion and in the two dissenting opinions in the Everson case may also forecast developments in the future. Consequently, there will be occasion to comment upon the broader implications of the decision. First, however, it will be helpful to trace the development of the case law dealing with state and federal constitutional provisions bearing on public aid to parochial schools.


Sunday Laws-Illegality Of Sunday Contracts, Robert O. Hancox S.Ed. Mar 1947

Sunday Laws-Illegality Of Sunday Contracts, Robert O. Hancox S.Ed.

Michigan Law Review

The concept of the Sabbath, the setting apart of one day in seven as a day of rest, was derived from the Mosaic code, the Fourth Commandment directs abstention from labor on the seventh day of the week, and although there is nothing in the New Testament relating to Sunday, the Christian world adopted the first day of the week as a day of rest. Constantine, by an edict in 321 A.D., ordered the suspension on Sunday of all business in the courts of law, except the manumission of slaves, and all other- business except agricultural labor.


Constitutional Law - Religious Freedom - Compulsory Salute And Pledge Of Allegiance To Flag By School Children -Validity, Dan K. Cook Jan 1938

Constitutional Law - Religious Freedom - Compulsory Salute And Pledge Of Allegiance To Flag By School Children -Validity, Dan K. Cook

Michigan Law Review

A Massachusetts statute imposed a duty upon each public school teacher to lead his pupils, at least once each week, in a salute and pledge of allegiance to the flag. Petitioner was in his third year as a pupil in the public schools, and, in obedience to his father's commands, refused to participate in the salute and pledge. For such refusal, the school committee expelled the petitioner from the school, and he thereupon submitted a petition for a writ of mandamus, to compel his readmission to the school. Held, that the writ be denied, inasmuch as the statute did …


Religious Liberty In The American Law, Carl Zollman Apr 1919

Religious Liberty In The American Law, Carl Zollman

Michigan Law Review

It remains to examine the application of this principle* to particu- 1 lar offenses. Statutes have been passed against blasphemy and offenders have been prosecuted under them. This, as said in a Massachusetts case, has not been done "to prevent or restrain the formation of any opinions or the profession of any religious sentiments whatever but to restrain and punish acts which have a tendency to disturb the public peace.185 To prohibit the open, public, and explicit denial of the-popular religion of a country is a necessary measure to preserve the tranquility of a government. Of this no person in …


Religious Liberty In The American Law, Carl Zollman Mar 1919

Religious Liberty In The American Law, Carl Zollman

Michigan Law Review

When the convention which framed the federal constitution assembled in Philadelphia in 1787 religious tests as a qualification for office were actually a part of the constitutions of most of the thirteen original states.' While Massachusetts2 and%,Maryland3 required from certain state officers only a declaration of a belief in the Christian religion, the fundamental law of Georgia, New Hampshire, New Jersey and North Carolina4 limited such belief to the Protestant religion and was designed to require a positive and affirmative test and not merely the negative qualification of not being a Roman Catholic.0 The Delaware, North Carolina and Pennsylvania constitutions7 …


Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review Nov 1910

Recent Important Decisions, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Attorney and Client--Authority of Attorney--Compromise; Attorney and Client--Disbarment--Reasonable Doubt; Bankruptcy--Corporations Subject to Involuntary Bankruptcy--Amendment of 1910; Bankruptcy--Following Trust Funds into Hands of Trustee in Bankruptcy; Bills and Notes--Notice by Mail--Proof of Mailing; Bills and Notes--Right of Drawee of Forged Check or Draft to Recover Money Paid Thereon; Boundaries--Line Between Riparian Owners; Boundaries--Monuments Give Way to Courses and Distances; Carriers--Limitation of Amount of Recovery in Case of loss of Baggage; Charities--Testamentary Trusts--Gift for Masses; Constitutional Law--Religious Liberty--Religious Exercises in Schools--Bible; Contracts--In Restraint of Trade--When Valid; Courts--Doctrine of Stare Decisis; Evidence--Admissibility of Confessions; Evidence--Admissibility of Market Quotations; Executors and Administrators--Denial of Application …


Note And Comment, Michigan Law Review Mar 1905

Note And Comment, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

The Federal Safety Appliance Act as a Regulation of Interstate Commerce; Liability of Christian Science Healer for Negligence and Deceit; Iowa and the Rule in Shelley's Case; Are Conditions Imposed by the Vendor of Chattels Binding on Subsequent Purchasers? Necessity for the Personal Presence of the Accused Upon Arraignment; Unconstitutional Aids to Local Industries; Damages for Mental Suffering Unaccompanied by Physical Injury