Michigan Pays $800,000 in Settlements to Catholic Charities over LGBT Foster, Adoption Order

[Valin]

National Review

Brittany Bernstein

March 23, 2022

The state of Michigan has settled a second lawsuit over state attorney general Dana Nessel’s 2019 order requiring all foster care and adoption agencies that contract with the state to work with LGBT couples.

The state agreed to pay the Catholic Charities West Michigan $250,000 in attorney’s fees after acknowledging it would likely lose a 2019 lawsuit brought by the nonprofit. The suit accused the state of trying to force Catholic Charities to violate its religious beliefs by placing children in LGBT homes. 

A federal judge approved the settlement on Monday, Christian Headlines reported. The court order also included an agreement by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) that it would not terminate a contract with the Catholic ministry over its religious beliefs.

MDHHS said in a court order that it was likely to lose the suit because of precedent set by a 2021 U.S. Supreme Court decision in another case. The Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the city of Philadelphia violated the First Amendment in ordering a Catholic foster care agency to place children in LGBT homes.

The state agreed to a separate settlement with the St. Vincent Catholic Charities in January, vowing not to take any action against the Catholic group and to pay $550,000 in attorney’s fees and costs.

(Snip)