Legal Cases and Court Victories of the Universal Life Church

The Universal Life Church has been involved in dozens of court cases over the decades. Because marriage is the moment in which the Church and the State most closely come into contact, the majority of these cases center around the rights of ordained ministers of the Universal Life Church to solemnize marriage in a given jurisdiction. While the battle has been long, we’re proud of the victories that we’ve achieved. We’ll continue to defend the rights of our ministers and the communities they serve in the courts until equality is realized for all.

The cases below represent a selection of recent litigation efforts.

Virginia

In Universal Life Church Monastery Storehouse; Rev. Jaylen N. Shorts; Rev. Michael E. Davis v. R. Steven Landes; Tim A. Martin; Staci N. Falls; Jeffrey Gaines, the Universal Life Church filed a lawsuit against officials in Augusta County, Virginia and the City of Staunton, Virginia on May 22, 2025. The suit was filed after ULC ministers faced discrimination when attempting to solemnize legal marriages in those jurisdictions. While ministers of other recognized faiths are permitted to perform marriages under Virginia law, ULC ministers were denied the same recognition.

Through this legal challenge, the ULC seeks to restore and protect the rights of its ministers to practice their faith freely and to solemnize marriages on equal terms throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.

This case is ongoing.

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Tennessee

In Universal Life Church Monastery Storehouse v. Wayne Nabors; Jennings H. Jones; Coty Wamp; Bryant C. Dunaway the Universal Life Church promptly filed suit after the Tennessee General Assembly enacted legislation explicitly barring ministers ordained online from solemnizing legal marriages, challenging the constitutionality of the law. The ULC successfully obtained a restraining order preventing the statute from taking effect while the case proceeded.

In August 2023, the ULC began trial against Tennessee state officials responsible for enforcing the law. During the course of the proceedings, state officials agreed to resolve the case by settling with the Church and acknowledging that enforcement of the statute against ULC ministers could constitute a constitutional violation. As a result, ULC ministers in the relevant jurisdictions would not be prosecuted under the challenged law.

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Pennsylvania

In Universal Life Church Monastery Storehouse v. Michael McGeever; Patricia Capozoli the Church filed a federal lawsuit against Allegheny County, Pennsylvania after learning that county officials had repeatedly denied ULC ministers the right to solemnize marriages by refusing to recognize the validity of their ordinations. The legal challenge sought to protect the equal treatment of ULC ministers under Pennsylvania law and to prevent ongoing discrimination against nontraditional faith organizations.

On June 6, 2022, the court entered an order approving a settlement between ULC and Allegheny County, and further held that any denial or discouragement of the right of ULC ministers to solemnize lawful marriages was unconstitutional.

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Nevada

In Universal Life Church Monastery vs. Clark County, NV; Lynn Marie Goya; Steve Wolfson the ULC filed suit against Clark County, Nevada and County Clerk Lynn Goya after new rules and requirements imposed by the Clark County Clerk’s Office effectively prevented ULC ministers from solemnizing marriages in the area. The lawsuit challenged these restrictions as discriminatory and inconsistent with equal treatment under the law. The case was ultimately resolved in ULC’s favor, ensuring that Universal Life Church ministers may continue to perform marriage ceremonies in Clark County so long as they comply with the applicable procedures.

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If you are interested in learning more about the legal history of the Universal Life Church, you can view a comprehensive library of all cases in which the ULC has either been referenced or been a party to the case by visiting our companion website, ULCCaseLaw.org.

Ongoing legal advocacy, like the work presented on this page, requires sustained resources. If you believe in equal treatment under the law, we invite you to support the ULC Legal Defense Fund.

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