Legal Opinion
Heard v. Johnson
District of Columbia Court of Appeals
Decided November 21, 2002No. 01-CV-471PublishedCited by 68 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
NEWMAN, Senior Judge:
The trustees of Mount Airy Baptist Church (Trustees) contend that they are entitled to the protections of the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment in defending against a claim of defamation that arose from thé removal of their former pastor. We agree.
I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
A. Facts
Mount Airy Baptist Church (Mt. Airy or church) is a nonprofit religious corporation founded in 1893 and incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia in 1901. In 1986, the church adopted a constitution and bylaws which vest governing authority in its congregation,…
2Cases cited63 opinions
- Cohen v. Beneficial Industrial Loan Corp.Supreme Court of the United States · 1949
- Mitchell v. ForsythSupreme Court of the United States · 1985
- Cantwell v. ConnecticutSupreme Court of the United States · 1940
- Wisconsin v. YoderSupreme Court of the United States · 1972
- Sherbert v. VernerSupreme Court of the United States · 1963
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3Cited by68 opinions
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- Callahan v. First Congregational ChurchMassachusetts Supreme Judicial Court · 2004
- Meshel v. Ohev Sholom Talmud TorahDistrict of Columbia Court of Appeals · 2005
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