Your client, Rev. Client, was a minister of the First Undistinguished Church of Davis for 10 years. She was indicted in 2022 under allegations that she embezzled church funds. Two weeks later, a majority of the church’s trustees, following a procedure embodied in the church’s bylaws, voted to remove Rev. Client from her position as minister. After a lengthy criminal investigation, it turned out that Rev. Client was innocent of these allegations. She then sought to be reinstated as minister but the church’s trustees refused. The church is arguing that they legitimately terminated Rev. Client for cause and that the courts may not, under the First Amendment, interfere with their ecclesiastical practices and doctrines. Rev. Client now wants to sue for wrongful termination and have the decision of the trustees overturned.
1. Create a research strategy/plan. Before you even begin searching, tell me what sources you think you might find useful for this problem and explain why. For example, if you plan on using California Jurisprudence tell me what type of source this is and why it may be useful. List any other secondary source type (legal scholarship, practice materials, formbooks, encyclopedias, treatises, restatements, etc.) that you think may prove helpful for this fact pattern.
2. Conduct your research. Remember this is in California. Provide citations to relevant authorities. Answer the fact pattern.