Lonnie Billard v. Charlotte Catholic High School

  1. May 13, 2024

    Gay Teacher's Loss Has Silver Lining For LGBTQ Workers

    Although the Fourth Circuit ruled that a Catholic school was legally allowed to fire a teacher because he's gay, the court took a narrow approach that cut off the school's push to give religious employers more power to sidestep anti-bias law.

  2. May 08, 2024

    Catholic School Defeats Gay Teacher's Bias Suit At 4th Circ.

    The Fourth Circuit on Wednesday struck down a gay drama teacher's win in his suit alleging he was unlawfully fired by a Catholic school after announcing his wedding on Facebook, finding that his job entailed responsibilities that triggered a religious exception to anti-discrimination law.

  3. September 20, 2023

    4th Circ. Faults Catholic School's Angle In Gay Bias Suit

    A Fourth Circuit panel said Wednesday that a Catholic school passed up a "very makeable argument" by not invoking a religious carveout to anti-discrimination law in a fired teacher's sexual orientation bias case, signaling that the exemption may be central to its eventual ruling.

  4. September 15, 2023

    4th Circ. Preview: Transgender Health Care On Docket

    The Fourth Circuit's case lineup for the rest of September will see the court delving into transgender health care bans in North Carolina and West Virginia, debating the constitutionality of Maryland's digital advertisement tax and wrestling with an arbitration clause in an accounting firm merger contract.

  5. September 01, 2023

    3 Arguments Discrimination Attys Should Watch In September

    In September, the Fourth Circuit will hear a high-profile challenge to a gay teacher's win in a suit alleging he was illegally fired by a Catholic school after announcing his wedding on social media, and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will attempt to revive discrimination lawsuits in both the Third and Seventh circuits. Here, Law360 previews three upcoming argument sessions that workplace discrimination lawyers should have on their radar. 

  6. July 19, 2023

    3 Religious Rights Cases To Watch In The 2nd Half Of 2023

    The Fourth Circuit will hear arguments in a Catholic school's challenge to a gay teacher's discrimination suit win, and the top courts in New Jersey and Maryland will soon decide the scope of legal exemptions that shield religious organizations from discrimination claims. Here, Law360 looks at three cases pitting religious rights against anti-discrimination law that attorneys should keep an eye on.

  7. April 21, 2023

    4th Circ. Delays Gay Teacher's Bias Suit For High Court Ruling

    The Fourth Circuit on Friday canceled oral arguments in a Catholic school's appeal of a gay teacher's win in a discrimination lawsuit, freezing the case until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a suit brought by a wedding site designer who refuses to serve gay couples.

  8. April 18, 2023

    2nd Circ. OKs Firing Gay Catholic School Teacher, Court Told

    A Catholic school in North Carolina, which is hoping the Fourth Circuit will reverse a win for a gay teacher who sued for discrimination, argued Tuesday that another federal appeals court recently backed the right it asserted for firing the educator.

  9. December 19, 2022

    Catholic School Tells 4th Circ. To Toss Gay Teacher's Bias Suit

    A Catholic high school in North Carolina has asked the Fourth Circuit to undo a Title VII victory for a gay drama teacher who accused the school of firing him after he announced his wedding on Facebook, saying it should be exempt from the law as a religious institution.

  10. December 08, 2022

    NC Churches Back Gay Catholic School Teacher At 4th Circ.

    A coalition of Christian organizations in North Carolina urged the Fourth Circuit to uphold a gay teacher's Title VII victory against the Catholic high school that fired him after he announced his wedding on social media.