Mark your calendars: Dwight Merriam and his team at Robinson & Cole are conducting a webinar/teleconference CLE, "Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act Claims - Strategies for Local Governments to Avoid or Defend RLUIPA Actions." Also on the faculty is Professor Marci Hamilton, one of the nation's leading church/state scholars and the Paul R. Verkuil Chair in Public Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University.
The webinar will be held on March 13, 2012, but the early registration deadline (for a substantial tuition discount) is February 17, 2012. Here's a description:
After the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) was signed into law over a decade ago, religious institutions nationwide began filing claims against municipalities alleging that certain zoning and land use decisions violated RLUIPA and infringed upon their right to religious exercise.RLUIPA suits continue today. Courts have ordered injunctions and awarded monetary damages and attorneys’ fees for RLUIPA violations, including at least two multi-million dollar awards in the past year. Courts have dismissed RLUIPA (and related) claims in appropriate circumstances.
In light of the increase in RLUIPA litigation, municipalities should evaluate their zoning policies and practices to ensure that they comply with the law.
Listen as our panel of land use lawyers, litigators and legal scholars examines current RLUIPA case trends, offers practical guidance on how to avoid RLUIPA claims, and recommends steps to take when a suit has been filed against your municipality.
More information, including registration, here.
