WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Court rejected a frivolous and late attempt to prolong a lawsuit trying to strip the Archdiocese of New York of its right to select its own religious leaders. Last month, in Fratello v. Archdiocese of New York, the Second Circuit unanimously rejected a former school principal’s case against the Archdiocese of New York and St. Anthony School. But the principal’s lawyer filed a petition asking the Court to set aside its decision. The petition compared the decision to the infamous Dred Scott case and the Archdiocese to “slave owners,” and insinuated that the ruling would lead to child abuse in the schools of “certain ultra-Orthodox sects of Judaism.” The Court rejected that request today, which protects not only the Archdiocese, but religious groups everywhere from governmental control of their internal decisions (watch the video.) 

The following statement can be attributed to Becket attorney Daniel Blomberg: 

“The Court made the right decision. Fratello’s tardy attempt to drag out this already overlong lawsuit wasn’t just a day late and a dollar short, it was stuffed with anti-religious bigotry. The Court was right today just as it was last month when it protected the right of religious groups everywhere to select their religious leaders, free from Uncle Sam’s control,” saidDaniel Blomberg, counsel  at Becket, which represents St. Anthony School and the Archdiocese.  

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Melinda Skea atmedia@becketlaw.orgor 202-349-7224.Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. 

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Becket is a non-profit, public-interest law firm dedicated to protecting the free expression of all religious traditions and has a 100% win-rate before the United States Supreme Court.For over 20 years, it has successfully defended clients of all faiths, includingBuddhists, Christians, Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Native Americans, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians(read more here).