Legal Updates The following are links to matters that may be of particular interest to members of the Fellowship:
Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan
Williams Civil and Religious Law in England: A religious perspective
The High Court decision regarding Income Tax Exempt Charity endorsement: Word Investment Case The following cases deal with endorsement as a charitable institution under the relevant tax legislation: Victorian Womens Lawyers' Association v Commisioner of Taxation Full Federal Court Decision in the Word Investments Case First Instance Federal Court Decision Word Investments Case High Court wrongful life decisions: Waller v James
Waller v Hoolahan Amendments to definition of a charity passed. From 1 July 2004 the definition of charity extended to include:- organisations providing non-profit child care available to the public
- open and non-discriminatory self-help bodies that are for charitable purposes only, and
- closed or contemplative religious orders that offer prayerful intervention for the public,
Islamic Council of Victoria v Catch the Fire Ministries - Victorian case as to whether comments made in a seminar by a Christian organisation regarding Islam constituted a breach of the Victorian Religious and Racial Tolerance Act 2001. Portsmouth NHS Trust and Derek Wyatt and Charlotte Wyatt by her Guardian and Southampton NHS Trust [2004] EWHC 2247 (Fam) English High Court case regarding refusing further treatment for prematurely born child Amicus MSF Section, R (on the application of) v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry [2004] EWHC 860 (Admin) (26 April 2004 ) English High Court case dealing with the discrimination by Christian Organisations in their employment practices and how the "religious exemption" in the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulation (made under the European Communities Act 1972) is to be interpreted Charities Definition Exposure Draft Cattanach v Melchior [2003] HCA 38 (16 July 2003) - High Court decision regarding compensation for cost of raising child
Gardiner; re BWV [2003] VSC 29 May 2003 - Victorian Supreme Court decision on withdrawal of treatment. Bellinger v Bellinger - House of Lords decision declining to recognise as a marriage a relationship involving a pre-operative transexual. BWV - Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Human Rights Division case on withdrawal of treatment. Re Kevin - Full Court of the Family Court of Australia upholding decision of Chisholm J which recognised as a marriage a relationship involving a post-operative transexual. Court of Appeal Queensland follows Lynch v Lynch (1991) 25 NSWLR 411 in Bowditch v McEwan and Ors [2002] QCA 172 Wrongful Life decisions handed down by Justice Studdert:
Edwards v Blomeley [2002] NSWSC 460
Harriton v Stephens [2002] NSWSC 461
Waller v James [2002] NSWSC 462 IVF Access case - Re McBain; Ex parte Australian Catholic Bishops Conference; Re McBain; Ex parte Attorney Generalr Diane Pretty right to assisted suicide European Court of Human Rights decision British High Court Right to Die decision - Mrs B Human cloning: scientific, ethical and regulatory aspects of human cloning and stem cell research The NSW Legislative Council Standing Committee on Law and Justice report on a NSW Bill of Rights Diane Pretty right to be assisted to suicide House of Lords Decision. Family Court of Australia Decision on transexuality and validity of marriage (Re Kevin)
Rights of the Terminally Ill Bill (NSW) Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 (Vic) Queensland Religious Vilification amendments Report of the Inquiry into the definition of charities and related organisations
("the Sheppard Report)" Supreme Court of California decision in relation to Robert Wendland and withdrawal of food and fluids | 
