Article July 4, 1994 Issue

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:

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