Eminent Domain - The Religious Can Lose Land - The Religious Can't Acquire Land

The Hope Partnership, a Judeo-Christian association of independent educational centers, was scheduled to acquire a piece of Philadelphia property under eminent domain, which was marked as blighted. This decision was reversed by Judge Doris A. Smith-Ribner, who's overruling stated this was an entanglement of church and state.

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court panel has ruled that the Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia cannot take private property marked as blighted and give it to a private, religious organization.

Judge Dante R. Pellegrini, in his dissenting opinion, argued that the majority's decision is "viewpoint discrimination" against religious groups and is a violation of their First Amendment rights.

Pa. Court: Eminent Domain Can't Aid Religious Groups