2013 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
FFRF Wins First Faith-based Challenge
4/11/2013 · The Freedom From Religion Foundation took and won the fully adjudicated federal lawsuit challenging direct funding of a faith-based agency in 2002. The Foundation challenged the government funding of Faith Works, a Milwaukee group dedicated to bringing "homeless addicts to Christ." As a presidential … More »
FFRF Wins Montana Faith-based Challenge
4/11/2013 · The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit in April 2003 challenging the funding and merger of two Montana state offices with the "Montana Faith-Health Cooperative."The Foundation and three Montana Foundation members are suing the Montana Office of Rural Health, its executive director … More »
FFRF Challenges Funding of MentorKids
4/11/2013 · The lawsuit sought a court order to HHS to discontinue funding MentorKids, as well as an order to enjoin HHS from "further disbursement of funding to faith-based mentoring groups until HHS has a demonstrated plan in place to comply with its constitutional obligations." On … More »
FFRF Halts University of Minnesota "Faith/Health" Entanglement
4/11/2013 · The University of Minnesota agreed in September 2006 to drop plans to sponsor a "faith health leadership course" after removing itself from a "faith health consortium," in response to a federal lawsuit filed by FFRF on March 25, 2005. The "faith/health leadership program" was … More »
FFRF v. Gonzales : FFRF Sues Federal Bureau of Prisons over Faith-based Prison Programs
4/11/2013 · In its ninth major lawsuit challenging the "faith-based initiative," the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit May 5, 2006 in federal court challenging faith-based prison programs at the Federal Bureau of Prisons.The lawsuit challenges previous multifaith programs set up by the Bureau, as … More »
FFRF Wins Challenge of "Chaplaincy" For Indiana Family & Social Services
4/11/2013 · FFRF's major legal coup in 2007 was ending the first chaplaincy for state workers ever set up in the nation, in which a pastor was hired by Indiana to bring "faith into the workplace" for state employees in the Family and Social Services Administration. … More »
2012 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
Ended Religious Cancellations by Post Office
10/31/2012 · The Foundation's very first lawsuit, challenging the use of a religious cancellation by the Post Office in Madison, Wisconsin, successfully ended the violation in November 1977. The federal lawsuit set national precedent. … More »
FFRF and Whiteville settle lawsuit over crosses
8/15/2012 · The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit against the Town of Whiteville, Tenn., and its mayor, James Bellar, to force him to remove crosses on the Whiteville water tower, in front of Whiteville City Hall and on the city-owned sidewalk. FFRF began … More »
Virginia School Removes Ten Commandments
7/9/2012 · The Freedom From Religion Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia filed a federal lawsuit Sept. 13, 2011, against the School Board of Giles County, Va., for unconstitutionally endorsing religion by displaying the Ten Commandments on the wall of a district school. The … More »
2008 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
FFRF Sues County of Manitowoc, Wis. over Catholic Creches
12/18/2008 · The Foundation took the County of Manitowoc, Wis., to court in mid-Dec. 2008 over its "provocative and divisive" prominent display every December since 1946 of a nativity scene bearing the words "Glory to God in the Highest" on its courthouse lawn. The Foundation filed … More »
FFRF Wins School Child Evangelism Subsidy
4/25/2008 · The Freedom From Religion Foundation and Wisconsin taxpayers filed suit in Dane County, Wis., on April 25, 2008, suing the Department of Public Instruction and the Rio Community School District for drawing money from the state treasury for the benefit of religious organizations. The … More »
2007 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
FFRF Wins Against Green Bay Creche (Settlement)
12/26/2007 · The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 26, 2007, challenging the unlawful display of a manger scene at the entrance of city hall in Green Bay, Wis., in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin. The Freedom From Religion … More »
FFRF Stops Public School's Promotion of Religious Activity
10/10/2007 · The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed suit on Oct. 10, 2007, against the Cherry Creek School District in Denver, Colo., for illegally urging that children spend an hour a week at a religious institution. Filed on behalf of three parents and their three children, … More »
2005 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
FFRF Wins Ten Commandments Case
1/3/2005 · In February 2004, the Freedom From Religion Foundation won its challenge of a Ten Commandments monument in a public park in La Crosse, Wis., and the city's convoluted attempt to sell a small bite of the park to the Fraternal Order of Eagles in … More »
2004 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
FFRF Wins "Scopes II"
6/7/2004 · On June 7, 2004, the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled in favor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation and its plaintiffs, challenging 51 years of unlawful bible instruction in Rhea County (Dayton, Tenn.) public schools. Bible students at William Jennings Bryan … More »
2001 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
FFRF Wins Against Direct Funds to Parochial Schools
4/27/2001 · Direct subsidy to parochial schools was ruled unconstitutional by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on April 27, 2001. The Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling in favor of the Freedom From Religion Foundation's challenge of a Wisconsin program giving cash … More »
2000 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
FFRF Wins Lawsuit: Post to "Assist Clergy" Unconstitutional
5/25/2000 · A nationally-watched Wisconsin law to create a state coordinator to "assist" clergy to develop "community-wide standards of marriage" was ruled unconstitutional in a firm decision issued on May 25, 2000, by U.S. District Judge John Shabaz. The law was to be modeled after a … More »
Jesus Statue in Public Park Sold, Fenced
2/4/2000 · The Freedom From Religion Foundation's two-and-a-half year court battle over a shrine to Jesus in a public park in Wisconsin concluded in November 2000 with the erection of a 4-foot, wrought-iron fence and two "private property" signs around the statue. The Foundation, with Clarence … More »
1998 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
FFRF Lawsuit: Pope Monument in Park Modified
5/1/1998 · The United States District Court in Denver in 1998 approved a settlement in Wells v. Lochhead, a lawsuit challenging a shrine built to commemorate the Mass said by Pope John Paul II during his 1993 appearance in Cherry Creek State Park outside Denver. The … More »
1996 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
Alabama Chapter Won Two Cases
11/7/1996 · Roger Cleveland and the Alabama Freethought Association, a Foundation chapter, sued to remove crosses and preference for Christian use at Alabama state parks in 1992. In 1993, the Alabama State Parks agreed to take down crosses, to stop using the term "chapel" on buildings … More »
FFRF Wins Good Friday State Holiday Challenge
2/24/1996 · U.S. District Judge John Shabaz ruled on Feb. 24, 1996, that Wisconsin's Good Friday legal holiday is unconstitutional. The holiday violated the First Amendment by favoring Christianity over other religions or no religion. The 1945 law mandated: "On Good Friday, the period from 11 … More »
1993 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
Mayor Forced to Disclaim "Day of Prayer"
11/24/1993 · In November 1993, the Freedom From Religion Foundation Denver chapter, with the national organization, successfully went to court to enjoin the Denver mayor's office from cosponsoring a National Day of Prayer against Violation on Dec. 5, 1993. The Court enjoined the mayor from "any … More »
1984 HIGHLIGHTED COURT VICTORIES
Ended Church Entanglement with Public University
9/1/1984 · In September 1984, the Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a federal lawsuit seeking removal of a religious question from mandatory registration forms at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The names and addresses of students who indicated their religious preferences were given to area churches, campus … More »
FFRF on the Web