Case: ACLU of Mass v. Leavitt

1:05-cv-11000 | U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts

Filed Date: May 16, 2005

Closed Date: Feb. 22, 2008

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

This case was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts on May 16, 2005 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts against the Department of Health and Human Services. The plaintiff claimed that the department's provision of more than a million dollars of public funds to a ministry called "The Silver Ring Thing" (SRT) that uses federal abstinence education funding to bring "unchurched" students to Jesus Christ constituted an unlawful establishment of religio…

This case was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts on May 16, 2005 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts against the Department of Health and Human Services. The plaintiff claimed that the department's provision of more than a million dollars of public funds to a ministry called "The Silver Ring Thing" (SRT) that uses federal abstinence education funding to bring "unchurched" students to Jesus Christ constituted an unlawful establishment of religion and a governmental endorsement and preference for religion in general and specific tenets of the ministry in particular.

The ministry developed a three hour presentation that was meant to occur directly following a mandatory abstinence education assembly in public schools and which, according to the plaintiff, was "permeated with religion."

In a two-year settlement agreement entered on February 22, 2006, the defendants acknowleged that they had terminated the SRT grant effective January 31, 2006. The agreement provided that defendants would not fund SRT's abstinence eduction as it had been structured and implemented during the fiscal year 2005, that strict requirements would be made before considering funding any future proposals from SRT, and that extensive monitoring of SRT's activities would occur if SRT was given a grant.

Summary Authors

Denise Heberle (8/7/2012)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4282256/parties/american-civil-liberties-union-of-massachusetts-v-leavitt/


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Chandrasekhar, Charua A. (New York)

Corbin, Caroline Mala (New York)

Cowie, Craig (District of Columbia)

Eisenberg, Avlana Kinnert (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Defendant

Coppolino, Anthony J. (District of Columbia)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

show all people

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:05-cv-11000

Docket [PACER]

ACLU v. Leavitt

March 6, 2006

March 6, 2006

Docket
1

1:05-cv-11000

Complaint

ACLU v. Leavitt

May 16, 2005

May 16, 2005

Complaint

1:05-cv-11000

Settlement Agreement

Feb. 22, 2006

Feb. 22, 2006

Settlement Agreement
20

1:05-cv-11000

Stipulation of Dismissal

ACLU v. Leavitt

Feb. 23, 2006

Feb. 23, 2006

Pleading / Motion / Brief

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4282256/american-civil-liberties-union-of-massachusetts-v-leavitt/

Last updated April 6, 2025, 10:49 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link

If the trial Judge issues an Order of Reference of any matter in this case to a Magistrate Judge, the matter will be transmitted to Magistrate Judge Dein. (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 05/17/2005)

May 16, 2005

May 16, 2005

Summons Issued as to Mike Leavitt, Wade Horn, Harry Wilson, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 05/17/2005)

May 16, 2005

May 16, 2005

1

COMPLAINT against all defendants Filing fee: $ 250, receipt number 64282, filed by American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. (Attachments: # (1) Civil Cover Sheet)(Abaid, Kim)

2 Civil Cover Sheet

View on PACER

May 16, 2005

May 16, 2005

RECAP
2

NOTICE of Appearance by Sarah R. Wunsch on behalf of American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (Abaid, Kim)

May 16, 2005

May 16, 2005

RECAP
3

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice by Daniel Mach, Jessica Tillipman, Thomas Gary Pulham, Victoria Howard Jueds, Julie Sternberg, and Caroline Mala Corbin Filing fee $ 300.00, receipt number 64282. by American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. (Attachments: # (1) Certificate of Daniel Mach# (2) Certificate of Jessica Tillipman# (3) Certificate of Thomas Gary Pulham# (4) Certificate of Victoria Howard Jueds# (5) Certificate of Julie Sternberg# (6) Certificate of Caroline Mala Corbin)(Abaid, Kim) Additional attachment(s) added on 5/19/2005 (Abaid, Kim).

2 Certificate of Daniel Mach

View on PACER

3 Certificate of Jessica Tillipman

View on PACER

4 Certificate of Thomas Gary Pulham

View on PACER

5 Certificate of Victoria Howard Jueds

View on PACER

6 Certificate of Julie Sternberg

View on PACER

7 Certificate of Caroline Mala Corbin

View on PACER

8 Signature Page for Certificate of Service

View on PACER

May 16, 2005

May 16, 2005

RECAP
4

CORPORATE DISCLOSURE STATEMENT by American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. (Abaid, Kim)

May 16, 2005

May 16, 2005

RECAP
5

SUMMONS Returned Executed by American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. US Attorney's Office served on 5/16/2005, answer due 7/15/2005. (Abaid, Kim)

May 17, 2005

May 17, 2005

RECAP
6

NOTICE of Appearance by Robert L. Kilroy on behalf of The Silver Ring Thing Ministries, Inc. (Kilroy, Robert)

June 23, 2005

June 23, 2005

RECAP
7

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice by Kevin H. Theriot and Joel L. Oster by The Silver Ring Thing Ministries, Inc..(Kilroy, Robert)

June 23, 2005

June 23, 2005

RECAP
8

MOTION to Intervene Unopposed by The Silver Ring Thing Ministries, Inc..(Kilroy, Robert)

June 23, 2005

June 23, 2005

RECAP
9

MEMORANDUM in Support re [8] MOTION to Intervene Unopposed filed by The Silver Ring Thing Ministries, Inc.. (Kilroy, Robert)

June 23, 2005

June 23, 2005

RECAP

Filing fee: $ 100.00, receipt number 65205 regarding 7 Motion for Pro Hac Vice (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 06/27/2005)

June 24, 2005

June 24, 2005

Judge Joseph L. Tauro : Electronic ORDER entered granting 7 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Joel L. Oster for The Silver Ring Thing Ministries, Inc., Kevin H. Theriot for The Silver Ring Thing Ministries, Inc. (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 06/27/2005)

June 27, 2005

June 27, 2005

Judge Joseph L. Tauro : Electronic ORDER entered granting 3 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Julie Sternberg for American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Caroline Mala Corbin for American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Daniel Mach for American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Victoria Howard Jueds for American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Thomas Pulham for American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Jessica Tillipman for American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 06/27/2005)

June 27, 2005

June 27, 2005

10

NOTICE of Appearance by Anthony J. Coppolino on behalf of Mike Leavitt, Wade Horn, Harry Wilson (Coppolino, Anthony) Additional attachment(s) added on 6/29/2005 (Abaid, Kim).

June 27, 2005

June 27, 2005

RECAP

Notice of correction to docket made by Court staff. Correction: Docket Entry 10 corrected because: Replaced unsigned document with signed version. (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 06/29/2005)

June 29, 2005

June 29, 2005

Judge Joseph L. Tauro : Electronic ORDER entered granting 8 Motion to Intervene (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 07/12/2005)

July 7, 2005

July 7, 2005

11

Federal Defendants ANSWER to Complaint by Mike Leavitt, Wade Horn, Harry Wilson.(Coppolino, Anthony)

July 15, 2005

July 15, 2005

RECAP
12

NOTICE of Change of Address by Sarah R. Wunsch (Wunsch, Sarah)

July 28, 2005

July 28, 2005

RECAP
13

MOTION for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice by avlana kinnert eisenberg and craig cowie by American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. (Attachments: # (1) Affidavit eisenberg certificate# (2) Affidavit cowie certificate)(Wunsch, Sarah)

2 Affidavit eisenberg certificate

View on PACER

3 Affidavit cowie certificate

View on PACER

Aug. 3, 2005

Aug. 3, 2005

RECAP

Filing fee: $ 100.00, receipt number 66001 regarding 13 Motion for Pro Hac Vice (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 08/11/2005)

Aug. 4, 2005

Aug. 4, 2005

Judge Joseph L. Tauro : Electronic ORDER entered granting 13 Motion for Leave to Appear Pro Hac Vice Added Avlana Kinnert Eisenberg for American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Craig Cowie for American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 08/11/2005)

Aug. 5, 2005

Aug. 5, 2005

14

MOTION for Extension of Time to September 6, 2005 to To respond to complaint by The Silver Ring Thing Ministries, Inc..(Oster, Joel)

Aug. 17, 2005

Aug. 17, 2005

RECAP

Notice of correction to docket made by Court staff. corrected because: Added attorney Kilroy to the docket. (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 08/18/2005)

Aug. 18, 2005

Aug. 18, 2005

15

Intervenor ANSWER to Complaint by The Silver Ring Thing Ministries, Inc..(Oster, Joel)

Sept. 6, 2005

Sept. 6, 2005

RECAP
16

NOTICE of Scheduling Conference Scheduling Conference set for 12/6/2005 11:00 AM in Courtroom 20 before Judge Joseph L. Tauro. (Abaid, Kim)

Oct. 27, 2005

Oct. 27, 2005

RECAP
17

Judge Joseph L. Tauro : RULE 26 DISCOVERY ORDER entered. (Abaid, Kim)

Oct. 27, 2005

Oct. 27, 2005

RECAP

Judge Joseph L. Tauro : ElectronicORDER entered denying as moot 14 Motion for Extension of Time (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 11/08/2005)

Nov. 8, 2005

Nov. 8, 2005

NOTICE : Scheduling Conference set for 12/6/2005 is re-scheduled for 1/4/2006 11:30 AM in Courtroom 20 before Judge Joseph L. Tauro. (Lovett, Zita) (Entered: 11/10/2005)

Nov. 10, 2005

Nov. 10, 2005

NOTICE OF RESCHEDULING Scheduling Conference is rescheduled for 2/7/2006 11:00 AM in Courtroom 20 before Judge Joseph L. Tauro. (Abaid, Kim) Modified on 12/27/2005 (Abaid, Kim). (Entered: 12/27/2005)

Dec. 27, 2005

Dec. 27, 2005

18

NOTICE of Change of Address by Joel L. Oster (Oster, Joel)

Jan. 12, 2006

Jan. 12, 2006

RECAP
19

JOINT STATEMENT re scheduling conference. (Wunsch, Sarah)

Jan. 31, 2006

Jan. 31, 2006

RECAP

Civil Case Terminated. (Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 02/24/2006)

Feb. 23, 2006

Feb. 23, 2006

20

NOTICE of Voluntary Dismissal by all parties (Coppolino, Anthony)

Feb. 23, 2006

Feb. 23, 2006

RECAP

Judge Joseph L. Tauro : Electronic ORDER entered. ELECTRONIC ENDORSEMENT re 20 Notice of Voluntary Dismissal filed by American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts,, Mike Leavitt,, Wade Horn,, Harry Wilson,, The Silver Ring Thing Ministries, Inc., - APPROVED(Abaid, Kim) (Entered: 02/27/2006)

Feb. 24, 2006

Feb. 24, 2006

E-Mail Notice sent to secondary address for Daniel Mach returned as undeliverable. Name of Addressee: Daniel Mach. The ECF Help desk contact the law firm, who advised that the attorney is no longer employed at the firm. The secondary e-mail address has been removed to prevent the return of additional undeliverable e-mail notices. (Hurley, Virginia) (Entered: 03/06/2006)

March 6, 2006

March 6, 2006

Case Details

State / Territory: Massachusetts

Case Type(s):

Speech and Religious Freedom

Special Collection(s):

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: May 16, 2005

Closing Date: Feb. 22, 2008

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

ACLU of Massachusetts, on behalf of their tax-paying members who allege that federal money being used to fund 'inherently religious activities' is in violation of the Establishment Clause.

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

US Department of Health and Human Services, Federal

Case Details

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Private Settlement Agreement

Voluntary Dismissal