Some of you may recall this legal challenge launched back in 2018: an atheist not-for-profit organization was seeking to end the exemption churches receive from filing annual Form 990s. The federal judge hearing the case recently opted to dismiss it, determining the organization—NonBelief Relief Inc.—failed to meet the technical requirement of “standing” in order to pursue the challenge.

The case is closed—for now.

I hedge because NonBelief Relief (through its founders at Freedom From Religion Foundation) says it intends to try another legal challenge. The organization plans to resolve the technical problems by using guidance from statements included in the judge’s opinion. Read more about the decision, including the judge’s comments, in this new free article.

Want to learn why churches are exempted from the Form 990 reporting requirement? Members can read attorney and senior editor Richard Hammar’s detailed analysis inside our website’s Legal Library.

Also this week:

• Also in the news: The Montana Supreme Court recently reversed a $35 million judgment previously awarded to a church sexual abuse victim, based on its interpretation of a clergy exemption included with the state’s abuse-reporting law.
• Check out the lineup for the first part of the 2020 Church Law & Tax Webinar Series.
• Did your church receive a flurry of last-minute contributions as 2019 came to an end? Use these 16 tips to make certain you acknowledge and thank contributors well.

The Lord bless you and keep you,