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Church of Scientology International, et al. v. Chrissie Carnell Bixler, et al.

Paid petition · Court of Appeal of California, Second Appellate District, No. B310559 · judgment January 19, 2022


Certiorari denied · October 3, 2022
Pre-decision estimate: 3% cert probability

Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.

Question presented

Where a parishioner freely executes a religious arbitration agreement with her church, does the First Amendment prohibit enforcement of the agreement if the parishioner leaves the faith? Does the First Amendment restrict the terms on which a Church may accept members into its faith? (i)

Counsel of record

For petitioner
William H. Forman
Winston & Strawn LLP

For respondent
Andrew Brad Brettler
Lavely & Singer, P.C.

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Amicus briefs
3 cert-stage

Proceedings

  1. Oct 03 2022
    Motion for leave to file amici brief filed by Believe Information Solutions, et al. GRANTED.
  2. Oct 03 2022
    Petition DENIED.
  3. Aug 31 2022
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/28/2022.
  4. Aug 22 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Professional Chaplains, Inc. filed.
  5. Aug 22 2022
    Motion for leave to file amici brief filed by Believe Information Solutions and Health Independence Alliance.
  6. Aug 19 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Church Law Institute filed.
  7. Aug 16 2022
    Brief amicus curiae of Professors Michael J. Broyde and Ronald J. Colombo filed.
  8. Aug 11 2022
    Waiver of right of respondent Chrissie Carnell Bixler, et al. to respond filed.
  9. Aug 10 2022
    Waiver of right of respondent Daniel Masterson to respond filed.
  10. Jul 19 2022
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 22, 2022)