Scientology Jurisprudence | The Underground Bunker

Scientology asks for psychiatric examination of Laura DeCrescenzo in forced-abortion lawsuit

Laura DeCrescenzo (center) with Marc and Claire Headley as word emerged that Scientology’s motion for summary judgment had been defeated

The Church of Scientology has already demonstrated that it will go to extraordinary lengths to fight and derail the lawsuit filed in 2009 by former Sea Org member Laura DeCrescenzo.

Just to contest an order […]

TEXAS SHOWDOWN: Can Monique Rathbun Get an Order to Depose Scientology Leader David Miscavige?

A week from today, on December 11, the next dramatic chapter in Monique Rathbun’s lawsuit against Scientology and its leader, David Miscavige, will take place in the Comal County courthouse in New Braunfels, Texas.

In August, Monique filed the lawsuit, accusing Miscavige of orchestrating a years-long retaliation campaign against her husband, Mark “Marty” Rathbun, that had […]

Judge James Whittemore Reins In the Garcia v. Scientology Case

Judge James D. Whittemore

If you’ve been following our coverage of Luis and Rocio Garcia’s federal fraud lawsuit against the Church of Scientology, you know that there have been quite a few motions and responses and declarations filed in the last few weeks.

We were in Tampa to see Judge James Whittemore deny an attempt […]

Luis Garcia Responds to Scientology’s Arbitration Scheme

If you’ve been following our coverage of Luis and Rocio Garcia’s federal fraud lawsuit against the Church of Scientology, you know that the lawsuit is facing a possibility of dismissal because of a question of jurisdiction. However, until that can be resolved, there’s another key issue the lawsuit must overcome if it’s going to continue […]

The Tom Cruise Smear Machine: Accusations From His Deposition You Haven’t Heard

Hundreds of pages of court documents in Tom Cruise’s $50 million lawsuit against Bauer Media, publishers of In Touch and Life & Style magazines, were put into a public court file recently, and yesterday, RadarOnline pounced on a short excerpt from a deposition given by Cruise.

We have more pages from Cruise’s deposition than Radar posted, […]

Luis Garcia Responds: We Don’t Trust Scientology’s Trustee Ploy

Yesterday, Luis and Rocio Garcia of Irvine, California filed their response to Scientology’s latest attempt to derail their federal fraud lawsuit in Florida. Attorney Scott Pilutik took pains to help us all understand the basic (if lesser known) legal concept of “diversity jurisdiction” that Scientology had put into question with its latest motion.

Scientology argued, nearly […]

Scientology Moves to Dismiss Garcia Fraud Lawsuit On a Question of Jurisdiction

Could Luis Garcia’s lawsuit be in trouble?

Yesterday, the Church of Scientology was required by Judge James Whittemore to come up with a 5-page description of its internal arbitration system as the latest step in the federal fraud lawsuit brought against the church by Luis and Rocio Garcia.

But on Monday, the church filed a […]

LIVE FROM LOS ANGELES: Summary Judgment Hearing in DeCrescenzo Forced-Abortion Lawsuit

We’re in Los Angeles this morning for a crucial hearing in Laura DeCrescenzo’s lawsuit against the Church of Scientology. DeCrescenzo is suing over the abuse she says she suffered while a member of Scientology’s “Sea Org,” including, she alleges, being forced to have an abortion by the church at 17.

The hearing comes less than two […]

The Flaw In Scientology’s Religious Outrage Theory: A Man Named Steven Gregory Sloat

Steve Sloat. Or Greg Sloat, depending.

Now that we’ve had a couple of days to absorb Scientology’s surprising new motion in Monique Rathbun’s harassment lawsuit against the church, a few things are becoming more clear.

First, this really is a remarkable legal strategy by the church, which now admits that it was behind outrageous behavior […]

Next in the Garcia Fraud Lawsuit: Scientology Is Asked to Explain Its Arbitration System