LEE v. SIXTH MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH

No. 17-3086.

903 F.3d 113 (2018)

Rev. Dr. William David LEE, a/k/a W. David Lee v. SIXTH MOUNT ZION BAPTIST CHURCH OF PITTSBURGH, d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Timothy Ralston, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Nathaniel Young, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Geoffrey Kevin Johnson, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Rochelle Johnson, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Alexander Hall, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Raymond Jackson, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; James Grover, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Arthur Harris, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Jerome Taylor, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Tommie Nell Taylor, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church; Roy Elder, Individually and d/b/a Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church Rev. Dr. William David Lee, Appellant.

United States Court of Appeals, Third Circuit.

Filed: September 5, 2018.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Gregg L. Zeff [ARGUED], Zeff Law Firm, LLC, 100 Century Parkway, Ste 305, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054, Counsel for Appellant.

Alan E. Cech , Adam K. Hobaugh , Murtagh, Hobaugh & Cech, LLC, 110 Swinderman Road, Wexford, PA 15090, Daniel Blomberg [ARGUED], Eric Rassbach , The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, 1200 New Hampshire Ave, NW Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20036, Counsel for Appellee.

Andrew G.I. Kilberg , David W. Casazza , Brian M. Lipshutz , Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, 1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036, Counsel for Amici Curiae Church of God in Christ, Inc., mPact Churches, Plymouth Brethren, and Bishop William H. Stokes.

Todd R. Geremia , Jones Day, 250 Vesey Street, New York, NY 10281, Victoria Dorfman , Mark R. Kubisch , Daniel D. Benson , Jones Day, 51 Louisiana Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001, Counsel for Amici Curiae Douglas Laycock, Michael W. McConnell, Thomas C. Berg, Carl H. Esbeck, Richard W. Garnett, and Robert F. Cochran.

Before: SHWARTZ, ROTH, and RENDELL, Circuit Judges.


OPINION

Reverend Dr. William David Lee was terminated from his position as pastor of the Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church ("the Church") and sued the Church for allegedly breaching his employment contract. The District Court granted summary judgment in the Church's favor because the adjudication of Lee...

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