Judge to Consider Appeal by NY Hindu Temple

August 27, 2004

Source: Newsday

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/newyork/politics/nyc-hind0827,0,1129404.story?coll=nyc-manheadlines-politics

On August 27, 2004 Newsday reported that, "after three years of lawsuits between two groups of Hindu devotees, a federal judge will decide whether or not the state is entitled to tell a religious organization in Queens how to organize and manage itself. The trustees of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, of Flushing, filed a lawsuit to protest a 2003 resolution and several other actions taken by the State Supreme Court. The trustees argue that bringing the ordered 'democratic principles' into their religious organization would violate their First Amendment rights. In the resolution, Judge Joseph Golia appointed a referee to determine who should be a voting member in the temple and ordered the trustees to open all financial and legal documents... Judge Raymond Dearie said yesterday that his immediate reaction was that there were some First Amendment implications in the case, yet he will take a few more days to make a determination on whether or not it is a First Amendment case. If the case is not dismissed, the judge could order a preliminary injunction."