Victories

Comments

ADF: Ground won, lost against pro-abortion groups in suits challenging Ariz. law protecting women, children- 9.30.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys made gains in federal and state court Tuesday against pro-abortion groups seeking to block the enforcement of new legislation passed this year in Arizona to protect pregnant women and their children. The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona issued an order denying the Tucson Women's Center request for a preliminary injunction to stop an act passed this year to ensure that women have enough time and information before having an abortion. Meanwhile, even though the Arizona Superior Court for Maricopa County granted Planned Parenthood's preliminary injunction through an order keeping new state laws restricting abortion from taking effect today, ADF attorneys made headway in the first round of litigation. Read more...

Wash. college agrees to end discrimination against pro-life students- 9.28.2009

Community Colleges of Spokane and Spokane Falls Community College officials agreed to a court order Thursday that settles a lawsuit filed after they attempted to unconstitutionally silence the pro-life message of a student group. SFCC officials threatened student Beth Sheeran, represented by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund, and other members of a Christian student group with disciplinary measures, including expulsion, if they chose to hold a pro-life event on campus because the information they were sharing with other students was deemed “discriminatory” and did not include a pro-abortion viewpoint. Read more...

Federal court: Arguments of L.A. Community College District 'scattershot and disjointed’- 9.18.2009

A federal court ruled Wednesday that an injunction prohibiting enforcement of a Los Angeles Community College District policy that violates student free speech rights will stand. The court denied the college district’s motion to reconsider the injunction, noting that the court was “amused” at many of the district’s “scattershot and disjointed” arguments. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom sought and obtained the injunction after filing suit on behalf of a student. Read more...

NY school district agrees to recognize Christian club- 9.14.2009

The Lindenhurst Union Free School District has granted official recognition to a student-led Christian club following a settlement with the Alliance Defense Fund. ADF attorneys filed a federal lawsuit in February after the New York school district repeatedly refused to recognize the group. Read more...

Mich. VA hospital provides access for chaplain seeking to pray, read Bible with fellow vets- 9.9.2009

After receiving two letters from Alliance Defense Fund attorneys, hospital officials at Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center have agreed to allow the chaplain of two veterans’ organizations access to patients. Previously, hospital officials denied Martin Colburn, a Christian chaplain, from visiting patients who asked to meet with him. Read more...

Court rejects ACLU’s attempt to punish Baptist children’s home for dismissal of employee- 9.1.2009

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled Monday that a Baptist children’s home, Sunrise Children’s Services, did not violate state or federal laws when it dismissed an employee who was engaged in homosexual conduct. Read more...

‘God’ no longer censored in Wilson County Schools- 8.31.2009

The Wilson County School District has consented to a court order that affirms the religious freedom and freedom of speech for all students in the district. In March, Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a federal lawsuit against the district after school officials had censored the word “God” from student-made posters promoting National Day of Prayer and See You at the Pole events. The court issued an injunction in May that halted the censorship while litigation continued. Read more...

Texas A&M: Christian club may remain Christian- 8.28.2009

After receiving a letter from the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom written on behalf of a Christian student club, Texas A&M officials agreed Thursday to continue recognizing the group as an official university student organization without forcing it to abandon its core beliefs and purpose. The university agreed with ADF attorneys that forcing Freshman Leaders in Christ (FLiC) to open its membership to non-Christians--or lose its recognized status on campus--would violate the group’s constitutional rights. Read more...

Elk River bucks discriminatory religious use policy after letter from ADF- 8.25.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have received a positive response to a letter they sent to the town of Elk River urging it to stop its discriminatory policies restricting the use of its public library and park for religious purposes. The city has rescinded its problematic facility access policies, scrapping a library access policy that flatly banned religious meetings and rewriting a recreation facility policy that charged religious groups extra fees that other non-profits were not required to pay. Read more...

European Committee for Social Rights upholds pro-abstinence sex education program- 8.25.2009

The body that polices compliance with the European Social Charter, a human rights document binding on all states within the Council of Europe, has deemed a pro-abstinence sex education program used in many Croatian schools to be acceptable. ADF Legal Counsel Roger Kiska represented the organization that produced the curriculum, which provided his briefs to the government of Croatia to aid in its defense of the program, preferred by the vast majority of Croatian families over a radically leftist option. Read more...

Federal court tosses lawsuit challenging federal Defense of Marriage Act- 8.24.2009

A federal court Monday threw out a lawsuit filed against the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The decision to dismiss the case comes just over a month since the same court threw out a portion of the lawsuit that challenged California’s constitutional amendment protecting marriage. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys represent ProtectMarriage.com in the suit. Read more...

La Crosse officials adopt ADF-recommended invocations policy despite threats- 8.24.2009

The La Crosse City Council has adopted an invocations policy after receiving legal counsel from Alliance Defense Fund attorneys that will allow the council to continue opening public meetings with prayer. The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation threatened to sue the city over the practice. Read more...

Federal court: Abortion ends human life, but not all humans are persons- 8.21.2009

A federal court ruled Thursday that portions of South Dakota’s informed consent law requiring doctors to tell women contemplating abortion that they are terminating a human life are constitutional. But the judge struck down a portion requiring doctors to inform women that they are terminating a legally protected relationship with an unborn human being on the basis that the preborn are not “persons.” Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund authored and filed a friend-of-the-court brief defending the law on behalf of the Family Research Council. Read more...

Court order to purge religious displays from part of church-run store reversed- 8.20.2009

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit has reversed a federal judge’s order to remove all religious displays from a church-run contract postal unit in Manchester, Conn. The court provided certain minimal guidelines for the church-run store to follow but ruled that it does not have to cleanse its facility of its Christian elements. Read more...

Christian man free to share faith in New Haven without fear of arrest- 8.18.2009

The city of New Haven has agreed to a court order issued Monday that will allow a man to resume expressing his Christian faith on public sidewalks. In 2005, Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a lawsuit against the New Haven Police Department after officers threatened to arrest the man for “annoying” passersby. Read more...

Clean sweep for NY church in settlement with Broome Community College- 8.18.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have reached a favorable settlement agreement with Broome Community College on behalf of North Pointe Church, which is now allowed equal access to campus facilities after being told it was no longer permitted to meet on campus. ADF attorneys filed suit in February over the school’s discriminatory policy prohibiting religious groups from renting its buildings for meetings while allowing other similarly situated community groups to do so. Read more...

Case dismissed: Kansas court throws out unfounded charges against pro-life advocate- 8.13.2009

A judge dismissed criminal charges Wednesday against a pro-life woman arrested in the driveway of a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic for allegedly blocking traffic entering and leaving its parking lot. The city alleged that a police officer issued an order to Carrie Kafka prior to her arrest to cease her activities, but the officer stated at trial that he observed no wrongdoing by Kafka and did not order her to cease her activities. Video evidence from the day of the arrest confirms Kafka never prevented vehicles from accessing the clinic. Read more...

Pro-life student group reaches settlement with Wayne St. Univ. over funds, access- 8.13.2009

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom have reached a favorable settlement on behalf of a pro-life student organization in a lawsuit against officials of Wayne State University. WSU has agreed to change its unconstitutional student fee and facilities use policies and pay back previously denied student fee funds. Read more...

CLS-ADF suit brings funding, choice of leadership to Boise State student groups- 8.10.2009

Because of a lawsuit filed by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom and the Christian Legal Society’s Center for Law & Religious Freedom, Boise State University has revamped a critical policy affecting religious student groups. Read more...

City of Pensacola relents, public park now open for church picnics- 7.30.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys reached a settlement agreement with the city of Pensacola on behalf of St. Faustina Old Catholic Church, freeing it to hold church picnics once again at Plaza Ferdinand VII, a popular historic park in downtown Pensacola. ADF attorneys filed a lawsuit against the city in April after Pensacola police ordered the church’s pastor to stop holding picnics at the plaza and declared the plaza a “non-event park,” even though events with thousands of people took place at the location on a regular basis. Read more...

IRS withdraws audit on Minn. pastor’s sermons- 7.28.2009

The Internal Revenue Service has stopped investigating Pastor Gus Booth of Warroad Community Church over sermons he preached as part of the Alliance Defense Fund’s Pulpit Initiative last year. Read more...

It’s all settled: Atlanta Public Schools officially recognizes Christian student club- 7.28.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys secured a settlement Monday with Atlanta Public Schools that will result in official recognition of a Christian student club that was repeatedly denied access to the same rights, benefits, and privileges given to all other student clubs at Sutton Middle School. In March, ADF attorneys filed suit against the district on behalf of a Christian student and his mother, claiming that school officials violated their constitutional rights by discriminating against the club because it is religious. Read more...

Romania adopts strong civil codes protecting marriage- 7.20.2009

Romanian President Traian Basescu enacted new amendments to the country’s civil codes Friday that provide strong, new protections for marriage. The Alliance Defense Fund together with ADF-allied attorney Peter Costea of the Alliance for Romania’s Families provided legal counsel to Romania’s Parliament, which passed the amendments on June 22. Read more...

Federal court throws out challenge to Calif. marriage amendment- 7.17.2009

A federal court Thursday threw out a legal challenge filed against California’s constitutional amendment that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys represent ProtectMarriage.com, the official proponent and campaign committee of Proposition 8, which was allowed to intervene as a defendant in the lawsuit in May. Read more...

Permit no longer required to share faith on N.J. town’s sidewalk- 7.15.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have obtained a settlement from city of Wildwood officials that will allow citizens to distribute religious literature on public sidewalks, in parks, and in all other public forums without obtaining a permit. ADF attorneys filed a federal lawsuit against the city in January after a Christian man was told he would need to obtain a permit before sharing his message on a local boardwalk. Read more...

Court puts brakes on oppressive speech code at L.A. City College- 7.14.2009

A federal court Monday granted a motion filed by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom to halt enforcement of a Los Angeles City College District policy that violates student free speech rights. The court’s order, which halts the policy while a student’s lawsuit against the district moves forward, also requires the removal of all of the policy’s language on district Web sites because the court determined that ADF attorneys are likely to succeed in their argument that the policy is unconstitutional. Read more...

Utah court rules in favor of child’s right to his mom- 7.9.2009

A Utah court has ruled that a 2-year-old child’s right to his mother outweighs the demands of a woman unrelated to the boy who sought parental rights. ADF-allied attorney Frank D. Mylar represented the boy and his mother, a woman who ended her relationship with the other woman and is now married. Read more...

Ohio Supreme Court agrees state law requires compliance with abortion drug restrictions- 7.2.2009

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Friday that an Ohio statute does indeed require abortionists to abide by the manufacturer’s dosing instructions and warnings when prescribing the abortion drug RU-486. The Alliance Defense Fund provided funding for a friend-of-the-court brief filed in the case by Americans United for Life. Read more...

Proposition 8 defenders allowed to intervene against attack on Calif. marriage amendment- 7.1.2009

A federal court Tuesday ruled that the official proponents and campaign committee for Proposition 8, ProtectMarriage.com, will be allowed to intervene federal court against a Hollywood-backed lawsuit designed to tear down California’s voter-approved marriage amendment. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys are co-counsel in the case along with ADF-allied attorney Andrew Pugno and lead counsel Charles J. Cooper. Read more...

More than reaching the bar: ADF-allied attorneys honored for dedicated service- 6.30.2009

The Alliance Defense Fund honored six allied attorneys last week that have provided thousands of hours of dedicated, pro-bono service in defense of religious liberty, the sanctity of life, marriage, and the family. The value of those hours amounts to millions of dollars in free legal services that they have provided to clients in need. Read more...

Proposition 8 defenders allowed to intervene against attack on Calif. marriage amendment- 7.1.2009

A federal court Tuesday ruled that the official proponents and campaign committee for Proposition 8, ProtectMarriage.com, will be allowed to intervene federal court against a Hollywood-backed lawsuit designed to tear down California’s voter-approved marriage amendment. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys are co-counsel in the case along with ADF-allied attorney Andrew Pugno and lead counsel Charles J. Cooper. Read more...

4th Circuit upholds Va. partial-birth abortion ban- 6.24.2009

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled Wednesday to uphold the constitutionality of Virginia’s partial-birth abortion ban. The full court reversed a previous decision by a three-judge panel that determined the ban was unconstitutional. Read more...

Mich. town settles lawsuit, lifts discriminatory rental fees on church- 6.23.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys secured a settlement Tuesday with the village of Fife Lake on behalf of Forest Area Bible Church, which will no longer be forced to pay discriminatory rental fees to use the village’s municipal building. As a result of a lawsuit filed by ADF attorneys in March, the church will also be reimbursed for past fees it had to pay--fees that were not charged to similar non-religious organizations that enjoyed free access to the facility. Read more...

Texas Supreme Court rules unanimously in favor of prison ministry- 6.23.2009

The Texas Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of a ministry to former prison inmates Friday, determining that zoning regulations passed by the city of Sinton to oust the ministry from town violates the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Alliance Defense Fund ally Liberty Legal Institute represented the ministry in the case. ADF provided funding assistance for the appeal to the high court. Read more...

Court: Calif. library can’t ban meetings it labels 'religious services'- 6.22.2009

A federal judge ruled Friday that Contra Costa County officials can no longer prohibit a Christian ministry from accessing Antioch Branch Library public meeting rooms just because government employees consider its scheduled activities to be “religious services.” Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed suit against county officials in 2004 on behalf of the ministry, arguing that the library’s ban was unconstitutional. Read more...

Wright State University agrees to recognize Christian student group- 6.22.2009

Officials at Wright State University have agreed to reverse their decision to deny recognition of a Christian student group after receiving letters and public exposure from both the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom and the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. Read more...

Ohio’s Miami University revises speech policy, agrees to settle lawsuit- 6.15.2009

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund obtained a settlement Monday in Gilles v. Hodge, bringing to end a five-year legal battle over Miami University’s speech policy that prohibited a Christian man from exercising his First Amendment rights on campus because he didn’t have a permit. Campus security threatened Jim Gilles and a friend with arrest because they were sharing their faith on campus. Read more...

Court order ends unconstitutional St. Louis policy banning literature distribution- 6.12.2009

A federal judge issued an order Thursday permanently prohibiting the city of St. Louis from banning a Christian ministry from distributing literature and speaking about their religious viewpoint at an annual “PrideFest” event celebrating homosexual behavior. An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney secured the order on behalf of the Apple of His Eye ministry, which means that city officials can no longer enforce an unconstitutional policy they used to keep the organization from sharing its faith three years ago. Read more...

UCLA confirms student can thank Jesus in graduation statement- 6.9.2009

Officials from the University of California, Los Angeles, confirmed Tuesday that they will permit a Christian student’s graduation statement to include a word of thanks to Jesus Christ after first saying they would not allow the sentence. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom urged officials in a letter Friday afternoon to refrain from violating her free speech rights. The student, Christina Popa, received a voice mail from the school Friday evening that her statement will be read verbatim during the June 13 commencement ceremony. Read more...

Officials in Md. can't shake violations against young pro-life advocates- 6.4.2009

A federal judge refused Wednesday to grant motions by the Maryland State Police, Harford County, and the city of Bel Air to dismiss a lawsuit brought against them by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys on behalf of three young pro-life women. ADF attorneys filed the lawsuit last September, arguing that the women’s constitutional rights were violated by officers who arrested, jailed, shackled, and strip-searched them for sharing a peaceful pro-life message along a public street. Read more...

San Diego County apologizes for ordering stop to home Bible study- 6.4.2009

San Diego County officials agreed Wednesday to rescind a cease-and-desist order issued to a pastor holding a small Bible study in his home. In a letter to the pastor, the county’s chief administrative officer apologized for the incident involving a code enforcement officer who issued the order after reportedly asking the pastor’s wife inappropriately probing questions about the study. Read more...

Pro-life group wins victory at highest court in Slovak Republic- 6.3.2009

The highest court of the Slovak Republic ruled in favor of a pro-life group Tuesday in its lawsuit against police. Attorney Dr. Alan Bohm together with Alliance Defense Fund attorneys represented the Centre for Bio-ethical Reform Europe, which filed suit after police disrupted a peaceful pro-life rally that was held in full compliance with domestic law. The court ruled that police violated the pro-life group’s constitutional right to free speech. Read more...

Fla. school district agrees to end discriminatory treatment of Christian club- 6.2.2009

Officials at Santa Rosa County School District, who previously barred a Christian-based club from meeting at Jay High School, have reversed course after receiving a letter from the Alliance Defense Fund. Additionally, teachers at the school are now permitted to participate in private baccalaureate services. ADF attorneys had sent a separate letter to the district over that matter. Read more...

Atheists rebuffed in Detroit: ADF attorneys secure victory for inner-city church- 5.28.2009

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled Thursday in favor of an inner-city church that had been denied reimbursement for property improvements requested by the city of Detroit because of a lawsuit that was filed by American Atheists. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund had appealed an earlier decision by a federal district court that had allowed for most of the money promised to be reimbursed, but not the entire amount. Read more...

La. city unanimously approves new regulations for sexually-oriented businesses- 5.28.2009

The Kenner City Council has voted to adopt regulations that seek to limit the negative effects of sexually-oriented businesses on the community. The new ordinance, which was drafted and provided to the city by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys, has already been adopted by at least half a dozen municipalities in the state of Louisiana. Read more...

Federal court: La. town violated Christian man’s free speech rights- 5.28.2009

A federal court Wednesday ruled in favor of a Christian man threatened with arrest for sharing a religious message outside a restaurant with a bar in the town of Zachary. The court ruled that the city’s use of an ordinance banning “annoying” and “offensive” speech violated the First Amendment rights of John Todd Netherland, represented by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys. Read more...

Calif. Supreme Court upholds right of voters to amend constitution, protect marriage- 5.26.2009

The California Supreme Court ruled Tuesday to recognize the votes of more than 7 million Californians and uphold the state constitutional amendment which affirmed marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Advocates for redefining marriage filed suit last November, challenging the constitutionality of the amendment and again asking the court to forcibly redefine marriage in the Golden State in defiance of the fundamental right of Californians to amend their state constitution. Read more...

Norfolk officials: Christians welcome to express faith in public park during local celebration - 5.12.2009

Two Christians barred from wearing signs that expressed their faith during a local celebration will no longer face those restrictions. After Alliance Defense Fund attorneys sent a letter to city officials clarifying the constitutional right to religious free speech, the city agreed to revise a policy which prohibits Christians from engaging in some forms of public speech during the annual Norfolk Harborfest event, including wearing sandwich boards and the distributing religious literature. Read more...

Victory: Calif. students observe National Day of Prayer after ADF provides assistance - 5.11.2009

After receiving assistance from Alliance Defense Fund attorneys, students at a Royal Oak Middle School were allowed to observe the National Day of Prayer Thursday. Students in the Spiritual Place of Teens, or SPOT, club were initially told by school officials that they would have to change the name of the event and that they would not be permitted to advertise with flyers or posters on campus. Read more...

Atlanta to lift unconstitutional ordinance, reviving beleaguered church - 5.11.2009

The Alliance Defense Fund and allied attorneys secured a consent order and partial dismissal Thursday on behalf of Kingdom First Ministries in a lawsuit against the city of Atlanta, which has entered into a settlement with the church. The city has agreed to change its unconstitutional ordinance that put undue and burdensome restrictions upon the church, nearly forcing it to permanently close its doors. Read more...

U.S. Supreme Court upholds FCC enforcement of indecency regulations- 4.28.2009

The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday upheld the Federal Communications Commission’s censure of indecent language broadcast during televised broadcasts of the Billboard Music Awards on the Fox network. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit had held that because the words in question were merely “fleeting expletives,” Fox shouldn’t be held accountable for breaking FCC rules that forbid the use of indecent language on network television while children are likely to be watching. Attorneys and allied attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the high court in defense of the FCC regulations in June of last year. Read more...

Ariz. tuition tax credit program still standing after 9th Circuit decision- 4.21.2009

A program allowing Arizona residents to claim a tax credit for limited donations to organizations that provide scholarships to private schools is still standing after a ruling Tuesday by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys represent the Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization in the case. Read more...

Jews for Jesus now free to speak- 4.16.2009

The City College of San Francisco has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by an Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney on behalf of Jews for Jesus. After arresting a Jews for Jesus employee for handing out literature on its campus without a permit, the college will now allow access for the ministry to distribute literature and express its Christian message on its campuses without unconstitutional permit requirements. Read more...

Pastor prevails in Wichita- 4.6.2009

City of Wichita officials have agreed to a consent order from a federal court that concludes that police violated the constitutional rights of a pastor when they arrested him as he prepared to peacefully express his Christian beliefs on a public sidewalk. Pastor Mark Holick is represented by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund. Read more...

Censorship won’t fly: FAA agrees to stop censoring religious speech- 4.2.2009

A Federal Aviation Administration employee disciplined for discussing his religious views on homosexual behavior while at work will no longer face punishment. In 2006, Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of Larry Dombrowski after he was told that he had “no free speech rights in the government workplace.” Read more...

Open road for Mo. ‘Choose Life’ plates after 8th Circuit clears detour - 3.26.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys secured a victory from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit over Missouri Department of Revenue officials Thursday, clearing the way for the creation of “Choose Life” specialty license plates. In the lawsuit, ADF attorneys alleged the state violated Choose Life of Missouri’s free speech rights by engaging in viewpoint discrimination when it refused to approve the specialty plate based on its objection to the pro-life message while allowing the messages of other organizations on other specialty plates. Read more...

Tax-exempt status safe for Ramsey County church - 3.24.2009

Two Alliance Defense Fund allied attorneys have succeeded in obtaining a settlement on behalf of a Ramsey County church once under threat of losing its tax-exempt status along with nearly 800 other churches and related organizations in the county. County officials had originally demanded that 784 “church organizations” submit forms and information or else risk loss of tax-exempt status, despite Minnesota law that exempts churches from such requirements. Read more...

NY court finds town’s permit-for-free-speech rule unconstitutional, again - 3.20.2009

A New York court has dismissed charges against a Christian woman represented by an Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney after she was arrested for verbally sharing her faith and distributing literature at an outdoor public park concert. In a ruling Tuesday, the court found a recently revised town of Oyster Bay code requiring permits for free speech unconstitutional, just as it did the original version. Read more...

Settlement means Modesto man free to speak in public plaza - 3.18.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have reached a favorable settlement with the city of Modesto, freeing a Christian man to share his faith in a popular downtown public plaza. Last July, ADF attorneys filed suit against the city of Modesto on behalf of Kevin Borden after city officials restricted him and his friends from peacefully sharing their faith in a public area on Saturday evenings. Read more...

5th Circuit: Texas moment of silence is constitutional - 3.16.2009

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit Monday upheld a Texas law allowing students to observe one minute of silence following the Pledge of Allegiance. The Alliance Defense Fund filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case last year. ADF ally Liberty Legal Institute also filed a brief and represented schoolchildren in a hearing before the court. Read more...

It's settled: Tractor trailer displaying Christian message remains along NY highway - 3.13.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys representing a Christian man reached a favorable settlement with the New York Department of Transportation, which agreed to allow Daniel Burritt's trailer donning a gospel message to remain on his private business property along a public highway. The tractor trailer had previously been cited as a "public nuisance," and NYDOT warned Burritt that it would be forcibly removed if the Christian message remained visible from the highway. read more...

Ariz. appeals court rules against ACLU, upholds tuition program for kids - 3.13.2009

The Arizona Court of Appeals Thursday upheld the constitutionality of Arizona's corporate tax credit tuition program being attacked by the American Civil Liberties Union. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case in defense of the program on behalf of the non-profit student tuition organization School Choice Arizona. read more...

A Surprise Legal Victory Ensures a Montana Church's Religious Freedom- 3.10.2009

Sometimes, a legal win seems as "big" for the court it comes from as it does for the victory itself. read more...

San Diego relents after restricting ministries' homeless 'feeding' to cage- 3.9.2009

After correspondence with attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund, the San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation abandoned a proposed program Thursday which would have required a homeless outreach, after several years of serving the poor at Mission Bay Park, to relocate to a dirt lot with a cramped, fenced-in area resembling a cage. read more...

Ark. court: Act 1 promoters can defend law against ACLU attack- 3.6.2009

At a hearing Friday, an Arkansas court granted a motion to intervene filed by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund on behalf of the Family Council Action Committee to join the state of Arkansas in defending Act 1 against a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The law, which voters passed in last year’s November election, places the benefits to children of being in the best possible home environment ahead of the desire of unmarried, cohabiting couples to adopt. read more...

NJ Christian’s speech rights restored- 3.6.2009

City of Wildwood officials have agreed to a motion filed by attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund that will prevent the city from enforcing a permit requirement against a Christian man told he could not distribute religious literature on a public sidewalk. ADF attorneys filed the motion shortly after they filed suit against the city on behalf of Eric Wollod last month. The city agreed to the motion while it negotiates settlement of the case. read more...

Burning Question: Can Firefighters Be Forced to Honor Homosexual Behavior?- 3.3.2009

The main reason for hiring firefighters, one might reason, is to fight fires... not spark controversy. read more...

9th Circuit: First Amendment trumps government regulation of church speech- 2.25.2009

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit reversed a ruling Wednesday which had upheld as constitutional a Montana commissioner’s determination that a church violated state law by not registering as an “incidental political committee.” Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed a lawsuit in June 2004 after the Montana commissioner of political practices began investigating the church upon receiving a complaint from a homosexual activist group because the church spoke in support of the state’s constitutional amendment protecting marriage. read more...

ADF: U.S. Supreme Court makes right call in case involving Utah monument- 2.25.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys say the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday on a case involving a religious sect's monument in Utah rightly distinguishes private religious speech and government speech issues. read more...

Firefighters forced to participate in ‘Gay Pride Parade’ win heated legal battle- 2.17.2009

An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney representing four San Diego firefighters received a favorable jury verdict Tuesday in a lawsuit against the city. The San Diego Fire Department disregarded the firefighters’ objections to taking part in the city’s “Gay Pride Parade” celebrating homosexual behavior and retaliated against them for later complaining about the harassment they endured during the event. read more...

Court reminds Ithaca police: Noise ordinance silencing Christian speech still unconstitutional- 2.13.2009

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys received a favorable judgment against the city of Ithaca Thursday after filing suit when city police officers told Jim Deferio that he couldn't share his faith at Ithaca Commons, even after showing the officers a court order prohibiting them from enforcing an unconstitutional "noise" ordinance. read more...

ADF-allied attorney wins crucial victory for the church worldwide- 2.11.2009

A dissenting synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church that had its legal personality stripped and its property seized by the socialist government of Bulgaria has won a decisive victory at the European Court of Human Rights. Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney Latcho Popov argued that the Bulgarian government violated the European Convention of Human Rights in its treatment of the synod. read more...

In California, a Victory for Biblical Standards at Faith-Based Schools- 2.9.2009

Standing up for what you believe in isn't just a legal risk for individual Christians these days – it's increasingly hazardous for Christian institutions. read more...

ADF Breaks "Abusive" Speech Code at California's Yuba College- 2.2.2009

In their aggressive determination to keep students from making waves, officials at Yuba College in Sacramento have been harboring some interesting notions about free speech… ideas that doubtless would have made our Founding Fathers a little seasick. read more...

Victory for California Christian school- 1.27.2009

The California Court of Appeal yesterday held that the state’s anti-discrimination laws do not forbid California Lutheran High School from using religious criteria in making admission and discipline decisions. The parents of two students sued the school because it suspended the teenage girls when they violated the school’s code of conduct by engaging in homosexual behavior. read more...

Christian group now allowed to distribute fliers at Penn. school- 1.27.2009

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund dismissed a lawsuit Tuesday after securing a settlement with the School District of Haverford Township, which agreed to allow a local Christian ministry to participate in its flier distribution program. ADF attorneys filed the suit last October on behalf of Child Evangelism Fellowship of Pennsylvania, arguing the district unconstitutionally denied the Christian group access to the program while admitting other groups. read more...

Yuba College settles, ends two-hour per week ‘free speech’ policy- 1.26.2009

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom secured a settlement with Yuba Community College Friday on behalf of a student, putting an end to a campus policy that requires students to obtain a permit to exercise "free speech" during two allotted hours per week. Ryan Dozier was threatened with arrest and expulsion if he continued sharing the gospel on campus between classes. read more...

In Ohio, a Victory for Speech and Life - 1.13.2009

It's becoming a legal reality in many parts of the U.S. that, to win a fight for life, you must first win a fight for free speech. read more...

ADF attorneys successfully halt censorship of pro-life advocates in Ohio - 1.6.2009

A federal court has ruled that an Ohio town violated the First Amendment rights of pro-life advocates when police officers threatened them with arrest for engaging in pro-life speech. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Findlay on behalf of the pro-life advocates. read more...

Rough Road for the Gospel: New York Tries to Censor Evangelist's Truck - 1.6.2009

It's Daniel Burritt's truck. It's his land. It's his personal religious belief. It's just not his legal right, says the New York Department of Transportation, to share that belief on that property, using that truck. read more...

Christian fliers no longer banned, Maricopa School District settles suit - 12.31.2008

Maricopa Unified School District officials have changed the district's literature distribution policy and now allows equal treatment of Christian groups on campus. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed suit in July after a church and its pastor were told that they would not be permitted to distribute their fliers to students. The previous district policy had allowed a wide array of nonprofit organizations to distribute literature, but targeted religious material for exclusion. read more...

Court: Gospel message stays on NY public highway - 12.22.2008

A Christian man represented by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys received a favorable ruling against the New York Department of Transportation in federal court Thursday, keeping it from forcibly removing a trailer bearing a gospel message on Daniel Burritt's private business property along a public highway. read more...

Iowa to permit state employees to donate to faith-based charities - 12.10.2008

After a lawsuit by attorneys with the Christian Legal Society and Alliance Defense Fund, the Iowa Department of Administration has agreed to allow state employees to contribute to faith-based charities through its voluntary state employee charitable donation program. The state corrected rules that excluded the charities from receiving voluntary donations through a payroll deduction system. Employees will no longer be limited to non-religious charities as choices. read more...

ADF-allied attorneys secure free speech for L.A. Jews for Jesus - 12.3.2008

The city of Los Angeles has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit filed by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and allied attorneys on behalf of representatives of Jews for Jesus. Police arrested a member of the group for handing out religious material outside of an event at a public park.read more...

Okla. court dismisses suit seeking same-sex 'divorce' - 11.26.2008

An Oklahoma judge dismissed a lawsuit that sought a "divorce" between two women Tuesday. The Oklahoma Supreme Court had already ruled the lower court was within its authority to dismiss the divorce decree when the trial judge discovered both parties were of the same sex, but the high court returned the case to the trial court because the woman who filed the lawsuit claimed that she didn’t get a fair day in court.read more...

Husband retains guardianship of wife over sister-in-law, securing spouse's life - 11.25.2008

A man seeking to protect his disabled wife from having her nutrition and hydration removed by his sister-in-law succeeded in having the court name him as guardian Tuesday when the sister-in-law withdrew her application for guardianship. Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney Joel Kirkpatrick represents Robert Lavers, the husband of Heather Lavers.read more...

Court ruling means Modesto man free to speak - 11.20.2008

A federal court granted a motion Wednesday that allows a Christian man to freely share his faith in a Modesto public plaza while his lawsuit against the city moves forward in court. ADF attorneys filed suit on behalf of Kevin Borden in July after the city of Modesto restricted him and his friends from peacefully sharing their faith in a public plaza on Saturday evenings. read more...

No stay on Proposition 8, marriage defenders allowed into lawsuit - 11.19.2008

The California Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that it will not issue a stay of Proposition 8 and granted a motion by defenders of Proposition 8 led by an ADF-allied attorney to intervene in a lawsuit filed against the new marriage amendment. read more...

Court orders approval of Ariz. 'Choose Life' license plates - 11.19.2008

A federal court Wednesday ordered the Arizona License Plate Commission to approve a specialty license plate featuring the words "Choose Life." Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund and the Center for Arizona Policy represent the applicants for the plates, the Arizona Life Coalition. read more...

Delaware woman's parents now in agreement: their daughter must live - 11.19.2008

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have reached a favorable settlement in a lawsuit that had pitted father against mother over the life of their 24-year-old daughter who suffers from severe brain injury. Because of religious conviction and heartfelt interaction with her ex-husband's family, the mother of Lauren Richardson decided to join cooperatively with Richardson's father to care for their daughter and to drop her court request to remove Richardson's feeding tube and water. read more...

Calif. court: Christian student free to speak as case proceeds - 11.13.2008

A federal judge ordered Yuba Community College District officials Monday to temporarily suspend enforcement of policies against a student represented by Alliance Defense Fund attorneys. Yuba College officials threatened the student, Ryan Dozier, with arrest or expulsion for sharing his faith on campus in violation of college policies that dramatically restricted free speech. For example, the college prohibits student speech without a permit outside of the school's "free speech" limits of one hour per day two days per week. read more...

Jindal appoints ADF attorney to La. marriage and family commission - 11.7.2008

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has appointed Alliance Defense Fund Senior Legal Counsel Mike Johnson to the Louisiana Marriage and Family Commission. Jindal chose Johnson as an individual with expertise in the legal field, as required by state statute. read more...

ADF: Marriage amendment victories demonstrate voters don't want activist courts - 11.5.2008

The success of state constitutional amendments on marriage that appeared on the ballot Tuesday in Arizona, California, and Florida demonstrates that voters want to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman, according to attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund. read more...

Settlement reached: Wis. school district no longer charging Christian club - 10.30.2008

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund have reached a settlement with the Sun Prairie Area School District, ensuring Open Door Church of Sun Prairie that its Awana Club will no longer be required to pay discriminatory fees to meet on school property. read more...

Massive support for roadside crosses dedicated to fallen Utah troopers - 10.28.2008

Numerous organizations and public officials filed friend-of-the-court briefs Monday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit to defend the constitutionality of roadside memorials for fallen Utah troopers. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and allied attorneys, who filed their opening appellate brief Oct. 15, represent the Utah Highway Patrol Association against American Atheists, which sued the state to remove the roadside crosses that commemorate the officers. read more...

Atlanta finally allows church to occupy its privately rented building - 10.24.2008

The city of Atlanta reversed course Thursday, agreeing to a consent order from a federal judge that will allow Kingdom First Ministries to begin meeting in its rented building immediately. The city made its decision after Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and allied attorneys filed suit against the city for illegitimately denying the church use of the building. read more...

ADF attorneys secure settlement with Shippensburg University - 10.23.2008

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys have settled a lawsuit with officials at Shippensburg University, bringing an end to the school's unconstitutional "speech codes." On behalf of a Christian student organization, the ADF Center for Academic Freedom had challenged the codes, which severely restricted students' First Amendment rights. read more...

A Victory for "Vanity" - 10.20.2008

As you drive around your home city, you see license plates. In recent years, more and more "personalized" vanity plates have become the focus of driver creativity and civic promotion. Most of you have options when it comes to choosing one. There are plates for unions, wildlife advocacy, university alumni, and even hospice care advocates. The state allows a portion of the proceeds from the sales of those plates go to the sponsoring organization. Arizona also offers many of these plates as options for groups, but until a recent court ruling, pro-life groups were left out. read more...

Court order re-opens doors for First Amendment in Wis. town - 10.14.08

A federal judge signed a court judgment against the village of Kewaskum, which had threatened a man with arrest for distributing Christian literature. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed suit in federal court in February to challenge a village ordinance that severely restricted the man’s constitutional right to free speech and religious freedom. read more...

Permit requirement for pro-life signs suspended in Harford County, Md. - 10.14.08

A federal judge approved an agreement that prohibits Harford County from enforcing a permit requirement for hand-held signs which Alliance Defense Fund attorneys and allied attorneys are challenging in court. ADF attorneys contend the permit requirement, used against a group of pro-life advocates arrested, jailed, shackled, and/or strip searched after they held signs and shared their message along a public street in August, is unconstitutional. read more...

La. AG stops voter disenfranchisement in three parishes - 10.14.08

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund are commending the Louisiana Attorney General’s office for stepping in to resolve the possible illegal disenfranchisement of voters in at least three of the state’s parishes. read more...

U.S. Supreme Court clears way for specialty plates featuring 'Choose Life' message - 10.7.08

The U.S. Supreme Court denied review Monday of a challenge to an Arizona specialty license plate featuring the words "Choose Life." The decision clears the way for the license plates to be offered to the public. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund and the Center for Arizona Policy represent the plates' proponents, the Arizona Life Coalition. read more...

Hickory, NC officials agree to respect constitutional right to share faith - 9.30.08

Two Christians arrested for expressing their faith in public have been assured by town officials that their constitutional right to religious free speech will be respected in the future. After criminal trespassing charges against Matthew and Jesse Boyd were dropped, they asked Alliance Defense Fund attorneys to represent them with the hope that their rights and those of other Christians will be respected in the future. read more...

Settlement: Illinois church finally able to worship on own property - 9.24.08

The city of Carlinville has agreed to a settlement proposed by an Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney on behalf of the Carlinville Southern Baptist Church. The settlement means that the church can now use a former Wal-Mart building it purchased and renovated after the city and its mayor approved the church's use of the building and then backed out of the agreement. read more...

ADF-allied attorneys secure victory for religious speech at NY college - 9.11.08

A federal court ruled Tuesday that a Christian man arrested and charged with trespassing for expressing his faith on a public college campus had a constitutional right to his religious speech. Last year, a New York court acquitted Greg Davis, represented by Alliance Defense Fund allied attorneys, of criminal charges. ADF provided funding for the criminal case and the subsequent civil lawsuit. read more...

Alaska woman will not be starved to death - 9.9.08

An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney has secured an agreement to keep a hospitalized patient's feeding tubes in place to preserve her life. read more...

ADF-allied attorney secures settlement in favor of marriage amendment petitioners - 9.4.08

An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney has settled a federal lawsuit against Broward County officials in favor of citizens who were circulating petitions for the state's marriage protection amendment. read more...

The Right Call - 9.2.08

Larry and Katrina, a Christian couple married nearly six years, are the proud parents of two beautiful little girls, one of whom just joined the family last month. When their daughters are old enough, they will be home-schooled. "We just want to spend as much time as possible with our children," Larry said. "We want to be the primary influence on their lives." Of course, they will have that opportunity. It seems ridiculous to think that their choice to school their children in their home was ever at risk – but it was. read more...

Protecting Battesimo - 8.25.08

"Battesimo" is Italian for baptism, and if one Italian atheist had his way, the word – and its religious significance – would be banished. But that won't happen now, and a potentially very bad precedent of international law has been averted, thanks to an Italian Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney. read more...

Settlement: Christian clubs can have announcements in Deer Valley schools- 8.15.08

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund have obtained a settlement from Deer Valley Unified School District officials that will end the district's prohibition on a Christian student club's fliers and PA announcements. The district has agreed to change policies that prohibited the meeting announcements and fliers but allowed them for other student clubs.read more...

Court: Ohio library can't prohibit meeting because of religious elements- 8.14.08

A federal court ruled Thursday that an Ohio library violated the Constitution when it denied Citizens for Community Values access to its meeting room on the grounds that the proposed event contained "inherent elements of a religious service." Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed suit on behalf of CCV against the Upper Arlington Public Library Board of Trustees on March 7.read more...

Anti-Christian group drops bid to end baptisms in Italy- 8.13.08

A group promoting anti-religious causes has dropped a legal bid to end baptisms in Italy after an Alliance Defense Fund-allied attorney became involved on behalf of the Roman Catholic Church and a bishop.read more...

Maricopa School District reverses course, will allow religious flier distribution- 8.13.08

Maricopa Unified School District officials have reversed course and will allow the distribution of fliers by a local church on campus. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed suit July 24 after a church and its pastor were told that they would not be permitted to distribute their fliers to students. District policy allows nonprofit organizations to distribute literature, but only if the fliers do not contain religious material.read more...

7th Circuit: Right to distribute religious literature affirmed- 8.13.08

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit ruled Thursday that an ordinance restricting the distribution of religious literature in Granite City is unconstitutional, upholding a previous district court ruling. The Alliance Defense Fund has provided funding for the case, being litigated by an ADF-allied attorney, for more than four years.read more...

Univ. of Md. to change speech code, speech zone policies- 8.11.08

University of Maryland-Baltimore County officials agreed Friday to modify their unconstitutional "speech code" and "speech zone" policies that restricted a pro-life student group from sharing its message on campus. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom filed a lawsuit April 2 on behalf of Rock for Life students against the university after it forced the group to move its pro-life display to less visible locations. read more...

Calif. Court of Appeal says homeschooling OK under state law- 8.8.08

The California Court of Appeal Friday found that the California Education Code allows parents to homeschool their children, reversing its own previous decision on the matter. The decision means that parents do not have to obtain state credentials in order to educate their own children at home. read more...

3rd Circuit upholds ruling against Temple University "speech code"- 8.4.08

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit Monday upheld a federal judge's ruling against Temple University's former "speech code," which prevented a graduate student from expressing his beliefs and opinions in class discussions and campus conversations, violating his First Amendment right to free speech. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom represent the student, Christian DeJohn. read more...

11th Circuit orders Univ. of Fla.to recognize Christian fraternity- 7.30.08

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit ordered University of Florida officials Wednesday to stop discriminating against a Christian fraternity, Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX), while a lawsuit filed by Christian Legal Society and Alliance Defense Fund attorneys against school officials is on appeal. read more...

Court rules to preserve life of Calif. woman deprived of food, water- 7.24.08

A California woman deprived of life-sustaining care, including food and water, for nearly two weeks now has a chance to live. On Tuesday, the Fresno County Superior Court ordered that Janet Rivera's feeding tube and water be reinstated until a July 29 trial. The court will decide whether the responsibility for managing Janet's medical care should be transferred from the Fresno County Public Guardian to Janet's cousin, Suzanne Emrich, who is represented by Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney Brian Chavez-Ochoa. read more...

Judge's ruling upholds Md. voters' right to oppose "gender identity" bill- 7.24.08

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys representing the citizen voter coalition Maryland Citizens for Responsible Government helped secure a favorable ruling from a Maryland court Thursday, giving 900,000 Montgomery County voters their right to be heard on their petition against a "gender identity" bill. Groups not wanting the will of the people to be heard on the bill attempted to disenfranchise and silence hundreds of thousands of county voters. read more...

CLS, ADF attorneys secure victory in Colo. student funding case- 7.23.08

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit held Wednesday that Colorado officials violated the U.S. Constitution by excluding Colorado Christian University and its students from state tuition assistance programs on the ground that the school is "pervasively sectarian." Attorneys with the Christian Legal Society and the Alliance Defense Fund are on the legal team representing CCU. read more...

Court refuses to reconsider ruling against Georgia Tech- 7.23.08

A federal judge Wednesday denied a request by the Georgia Institute of Technology to reconsider his previous ruling which struck down provisions of the institute's "Safe Space" training program as unconstitutional because it favored one religious denomination over another. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund Center for Academic Freedom represent two students, Orit Sklar and Ruth Malhotra, who were subjected to religious discrimination at the school. read more...

ADF achieving results internationally- 7.22.08

The Alliance Defense Fund has been actively involved in several recent international legal situations to protect families worldwide and protect America from the effects of poor international legal decisions. read more...

Court: Atheist organization can't sue over treatment center for troubled children- 7.18.08

Alliance Defense Fund attorneys say a federal court made the right call Thursday in rejecting a lawsuit filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation over state referrals to a non-profit, church-affiliated treatment center for troubled children. read more...

Calif. Supreme Court rejects lawsuit against Calif. marriage amendment- 7.16.08

Alliance Defense Fund and ProtectMarriage attorneys are calling the California Supreme Court's rejection of a lawsuit against the state's proposed marriage amendment an appropriate decision on a frivolous lawsuit. The attorneys say they will vigorously defend against any additional legal attacks filed to deny the right of Californians to vote on marriage. read more...

Alaska court: Tax exemption for religious school constitutional- 7.10.08

An Alaska court has ruled that a property tax exemption for religious schools does not violate either the state or federal constitution. ADF-allied attorney Kevin Clarkson represented two churches in the case. read more...

Settlement ensures rights of Michigan church will be respected- 7.9.08

A Michigan church has reached a favorable settlement in a lawsuit filed by an Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney against the city of Muskegon. The city planning commission had unlawfully prohibited the church from using a vacant car dealership as a house of worship but has now agreed to allow the congregation to use the building. read more...

Settlement secured for group barred from expressing faith in N.Y. park - 7.3.08

An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney has secured a settlement on behalf of members of a Christian group barred from expressing their faith in a public park. The free speech rights of Jews for Jesus members were violated when Oyster Bay officials placed numerous restrictions on their activities, including a threat to remove them from the area if any patrons were "offended" by their message. read more...

Oklahoma Supreme Court: Judge okay to vacate same-sex couple's "divorce" - 7.2.08

The Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a state judge acted within his authority when he vacated a divorce unknowingly granted to two women. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case in October 2007 on behalf of then-Oklahoma Speaker of the House Lance Cargill, arguing that the state cannot grant a divorce to two people when the state does not even recognize them as married. read more...

Free Speech and Pagan Pride - 7.1.08

The first American settlers were Christians who came here to escape religious persecution. And in doing so, they also provided a haven for others who were not free to worship God in the manner they chose. But today, without legal support, too many Christians are not free to preach God's Word on American soil. A situation that arose recently in Grand Rapids, Michigan, shows that the very freedoms the pilgrims risked their lives to obtain are not always guaranteed. read more...


View more press releases and news related to the Alliance Defense Fund by visiting our news page.