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Update on legal and legislative issues
In the United States, legal challenges to the healing practice of Christian Science persist, both in legislatures and in courtrooms. While future updates will focus on the legislative challenges, we want to mention two "wrongful death" civil lawsuits that are now pending. Some readers may know that a recent Minnesota jury trial resulted in a $1.5 million judgment assessed jointly against a church-member parent, her husband, the Christian Science practitioner, the nurse, and nursing facility, the state Committee on Publication, and The Mother Church. In addition, the court assessed a $9 million punitive damages judgment solely against The Mother Church. The defendants are appealing these rulings to a higher court.
The same attorney who represented the Minnesota plaintiff recently filed another wrongful death suit on behalf of another plaintiff in Orange County, California. In this new suit, which arises out of the 1992 death of a twelve-year-old boy, the plaintiff is demanding money damages from the boy's father, the boy's grandmother, the Christian Science practitioner, the nurse and visiting nurse service, the state Committee on Publication, and The Mother Church. This case is in its early pretrial stages, and all the defendants are vigorously resisting the plaintiff's claims.
Readers who would particularly like to assist the defense of individual defendants may contact the following organizations:
Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.
July 4, 1994 issue
View Issue-
"Pray without ceasing"
Mark Raffles
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Fame or real worth?
Blake Elliott Windal
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Go frontward!
Bernice Holly Higgins
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Joy frees
Doris Kerns Quinn
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A law of kindness that governs us all
Mary Jane Hartzell Laub
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"What I say unto you I say unto all, Watch."—Jesus
with contributions from Thomas Fuller
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A unique publishing opportunity
E. Anne Jesper
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What is real intimacy?
Mary Metzner Trammell
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Walking in the light
Barbara M. Vining
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Since early childhood I was always attracted to the things of...
Miguel Machado de Castro
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When I was four years old we were visiting my grandparents
Lexi Andrei with contributions from Linda Andrei
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When I was young, my mother's close friend, who had been...
Lilian Edwards
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I have found that Christian Science can be applied to any...
Robert C. E. Johnson