"CLS At University of Montana Sues Over School's Refusal To Grant Recognition"

From the Religion Clause blog:

"The Christian Legal Society chapter at the University of Montana law school has filed suit in federal district court challenging the Student Bar Association's refusal to recognize the organization and provide it with funds for its activities. The complaint (full text) in Christian Legal Society v. Eck, (D MT, Dec. 14, 2007), alleges that the SBA Executive Board originally recognized the CLS group, but revoked that recognition after a student body vote rejected an SBA budget that included funding for CLS. The law school's dean upheld the SBA decision. In derecognizing the CLS chapter, the SBA Executive Board said that the Chapter's requirement that voting members and officers agree with its Statement of Faith, including sexual abstinence outside of heterosexual marriage, violates the SBA's non-discrimination rule. The suit alleges that CLS's First Amendment rights of expressive association, free speech and free exercise of religion have been infringed."

This is the kind of issue we will study in Con Law II Spring Semester. The lawsuit raises three different types of issues under the First Amendment.

Exam Info

• As I said in class, the exam will consist of both objective questions and a number of short (approximately 200- 350 word) essay questions. The essay questions must be typed on your computer (or on a lab computer). Since the exam is closed book, you must have the current version of Exam 4 loaded on your computer. If you need to use a lab computer, make sure you make the appropriate arrangements with the Dean's Office.
• During our normal class time this Wednesday (December 5), we will have a question and answer session. I will stay as long as you have questions for me.