{"id":2018145,"date":"2023-08-31T13:56:04","date_gmt":"2023-08-31T17:56:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/online-ordination-company-gets-win-against-tennessee-in-settlement\/"},"modified":"2023-08-31T14:01:45","modified_gmt":"2023-08-31T18:01:45","slug":"online-ordination-company-gets-win-against-tennessee-in-settlement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/online-ordination-company-gets-win-against-tennessee-in-settlement\/","title":{"rendered":"Online ordination company wins settlement against Tennessee."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fonline-ordination-company-gets-win-against-tennessee-in-settlement%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2018145&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div data-post-content=\"true\" class=\"post_content\" id=\"post_content\">\n<p>After four years \u2062of \u2064litigation, a company that ordains ministers online \u2063to perform marriages and other ceremonies reached a settlement with the State of \u200dTennessee this week \u2062in a lawsuit\u200c they\u200c filed against the state in 2019.<\/p>\n<p>The Universal Life Church Monastery \u200bStorehouse (ULCM), \u2062a Washington-based organization that\u200c ordains ministers online, sued the state in 2019 after a law went into effect that aimed to \u200bprohibit \u2062ministers ordained online\u2063 from solemnizing legal marriages in \u2063the state.<\/p>\n<p>ULCM and three Tennesseans \u200bordained by the church initiated legal proceedings\u2063 to halt the enforcement \u2064of this law,\u2063 contending\u200b the\u200b legislation infringed upon their constitutional\u200b rights by showing favoritism \u200bto specific religious entities over\u2063 others.<\/p>\n<div class=\"shortcode\">\n<div class=\"border-comp-divider mb-4 mr-4 w-full max-w-[500px] border px-5 py-4 text-[16px] leading-[20px] text-[#262626] md:float-left\">\n<div class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/bright\/john-hurt-americas-first-chaplain-5352637\">John \u2063Hurt:\u200c America\u2019s First Chaplain<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">7\/5\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/bright\/john-hurt-americas-first-chaplain-5352637\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-2\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/southwest-ordered-to-attend-religious-freedom-training-5459013\">Southwest Ordered to Attend Religious \u200dFreedom \u2064Training<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/12\/2023<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[120px]\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/southwest-ordered-to-attend-religious-freedom-training-5459013\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Tennessee \u200bAssistant Solicitor\u2062 General Jonathan Shaub had \u2064defended the \u200blaw,\u2063 asserting\u200c that it was essential \u2063to \u201censure the integrity of marriage and prevent fraud.&#8221; However, U.S. District Judge \u2062Waverly Crenshaw was \u2063skeptical.<\/p>\n<h2>What \u200cLed to the Suit<\/h2>\n<p>In June of 2019, two \u200cplaintiffs filed a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/tensions-reportedly-rise-between-sen-schumer-gov-cuomo\/\" title=\"Tensions reportedly rise between Sen. Schumer, Gov. Cuomo\">lawsuit challenging<\/a> the constitutionality of a Tennessee statute that prohibited those who received online ordinations from officiating weddings in the state.<\/p>\n<p>The law listed the\u2062 people who\u200c could solemnize a marriage in the state to include a\u200b \u201cminister, preacher, pastor, \u200cpriest, rabbi\u200b or other spiritual leader\u201d ordained in conformity with the customs of \u200cthat church or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pro-trump-religious-groups-begin-turning-up-heat-on-gop-to-take-action-on-marjorie-taylor-greene\/\" title=\"Pro-Trump, Religious Groups Begin Turning Up Heat On GOP To Take Action On Marjorie Taylor Greene\">religious group<\/a>. The\u200c law in\u2064 2019 specifically stated \u200dthat \u201cPersons\u200d receiving online ordinations may not solemnize the rite of matrimony.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>However, the Universal \u200cLife Church acted swiftly, securing an \u200binjunction that paused the law from going into effect while litigation proceeded.<\/p>\n<p>In their suit, they\u2063 contended they could be prosecuted under the law if they made a \u200c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sidney-powell-is-an-american-legal-giant\/\" title=\"Sidney Powell Is an American Legal Giant\">false statement<\/a> attesting they were\u200c ordained in a manner\u2062 the law specified. \u2063Defendants attempted to dismiss\u200d the suit, claiming they \u2062did \u2063not have standing because \u201cthere is no credible threat of \u2064prosecution.\u201d<\/p>\n<div style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>Couples arrange for Valentine&#8217;s Day courthouse wedding services at the \u200cOld Orange\u2063 County \u2064Courthouse \u200bin Santa Ana, Calif., on Feb. 14, 2022. (John\u200b Fredricks\/The\u2063 Epoch Times)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>In a 2019\u200b hearing,\u200d Judge\u200d Crenshaw critically questioned Shaub on the state&#8217;s rationale behind \u2062regulating how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/online-ordination-company-gets-win-against-tennessee-in-settlement\/\" title=\"Online ordination company wins settlement against Tennessee.\">religious groups handle ordinations<\/a> and how banning\u2064 online \u200dordinations \u2063would\u2063 benefit\u2064 the state.<\/p>\n<p>Gabriel Biser, one\u200c of the\u200d minister plaintiffs who had been\u2063 ordained online \u2062by the ULCM, \u200cmentioned that he had \u2063solemnized several weddings since his first in 2015, mainly for friends or acquaintances who found traditional venues challenging, according to \u2064an Associated\u2062 Press\u2062 article\u2063 from that time. He listed his reasons for\u2064 ordination as\u2064 purely to \u2062help others. \u201cI do it to bring people together,\u201d\u2064 Biser \u2063said, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/d5a1ba6fbfec4e99bdb1b68b18d5e2d7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AP<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Erin\u2063 Patterson, another plaintiff, shared \u200ca similar\u2064 sentiment. \u200cAfter being ordained online, she officiated\u2062 a friend&#8217;s \u2064wedding.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe wanted it\u200c personalized \u2063for her, and she wanted someone \u200bshe trusted,\u201d Patterson stated \u200cat\u200d the time. \u201cI\u2019m a teacher, and this is just another \u200caspect of service. I\u2019m doing something joyous for people.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The law was\u200d <a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/codes\/tennessee\/2020\/title-36\/chapter-3\/part-3\/section-36-3-301\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">updated<\/a> in 2021 to remove the \u2064language regarding online ordinations\u200d from the \u200bstate statute.<\/p>\n<h2>Surprising End to Years-Long Battle<\/h2>\n<p>In Court documents from the\u200d U.S. District Court\u2064 for the Middle District of Tennessee reviewed by the Epoch\u2062 Times, \u200bas the bench\u200c trial was set \u2064to begin,\u2062 the parties announced\u2063 to \u2064the\u200b court \u2064they had reached an agreement to avoid trial.<\/p>\n<p>During\u2064 the first day\u2064 of the bench\u2062 trial,\u2062 parties announced their \u200dagreement on all issues in the \u200bcase \u2062and directed the suit to be closed and\u200b all \u200dpending motions stricken\u2063 as moot.<\/p>\n<p>In the stipulations, state defendants, as well as local county\u200c clerks, were dismissed as \u200dpart\u2062 of\u200b the case, with the\u2064 stipulations agreed to, noting that the individuals\u2064 were acting on behalf of \u2063the state instead of in \u2064their individual \u2063capacity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDefendants \u2062also stipulate and \u2062represent that it has always\u2064 been their position that they are not involved \u2063with the issue of whether\u200b any marriage is valid and\u200b Defendants will not challenge the validity of marriages officiated or solemnized by ULCM \u200dministers,\u201d court documents state. \u201cDefendants acknowledge that Plaintiffs ULCM and \u2062its ministers, including Gabriel Biser and Erin Patterson, intend to solemnize\u2062 weddings in\u200d Defendants&#8217; respective counties in reliance on \u200bthese stipulations.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>State\u200d Argues Law Had\u200d No Teeth<\/h2>\n<p>In court documents, the \u200dstate \u200dargued that it was their position and \u201calways\u201d has been that \u201cthat there is no criminal\u2064 prosecution mechanism in [the law] and thus Plaintiffs cannot \u200bbe prosecuted under that statute.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Court documents further state that, \u201cIn\u2063 addition, Defendants stipulate and represent \u200bthat it has always been \u200btheir position that \u200cnotwithstanding [the law], by simply making the attestation required \u200dby \u200b [the law], Plaintiffs are not making a false statement \u200cand thus\u2064 there is no\u2064 prosecutable \u200boffense under [the law].\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>ULCM Said Outcome Is Unexpected<\/h2>\n<p>A few weeks ago, the ULCM sent an \u200bemail to its ministers ordained online in \u200bTennessee with an update on the lawsuit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After a lengthy legal battle, the Universal Life Church Monastery Storehouse (ULCM), an online ordination company, has finally settled its 2019 lawsuit against the State of Tennessee. The Washington-based organization, which ordains ministers online, reached an agreement this week after four years of litigation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1627,"featured_media":2018146,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2018145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018145","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1627"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2018145"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2018145\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2018146"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2018145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2018145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2018145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}