Man can use community room for religious display

By The Associated Press

09.14.01

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PITTSBURGH — A federal judge ruled that a Pittsburgh suburb must allow a man to hold an event and display religious materials in the borough's community room.

U.S. District Judge Robert Cindrich ruled Sept. 12 that the borough of Dormont must allow Michael Juzwick to use its community room at no cost next week — during Constitution Week.

Juzwick filed a federal lawsuit last year against the borough, its manager Deborah Grass and its president Richard Grubb. The suit claimed borough officials discriminated against Juzwick after learning that his group promoted a Christian perspective of the U.S. Constitution.

Juzwick's lawsuit said officials gave him permission to hold a weeklong event called "We the People 2000 — Pittsburgh" in the borough building's community room in September 2000.

Before the borough changed its policy, it allowed "public" or "civic" groups to use the room for free, but required "private" groups to pay up to $35 an hour, court records said.

Juzwick's lawsuit said his permit to use the room for free was revoked and the borough demanded he pay $35 an hour for the 60 hours he used the room — or $2,100. Juzwick said borough officials told him that his event was private, not civic.

This summer, the borough changed its community room policy and required all groups to pay, except the Keystone Heights School District and area athletic booster clubs.

Borough officials said they allowed those groups to use the room for free because the district and the clubs relieved the borough of certain financial burdens. The district allows the borough to use school buildings at no cost, and the clubs raise money for public sporting events.

"They were saying, 'If you give us economic benefit, we'll let you use the building,' " said Juzwick's attorney, Mathew Staver.

Staver is an attorney with the Orlando, Fla.-based Liberty Counsel, a civil liberties advocacy group that specializes in religious rights.

"The ruling says you have the constitutional right to free speech, despite your ability to pay," Staver said.

Cindrich ruled that if the use of the room is free to one group, it should be free to all groups.

Michael Katz, the attorney for Dormont and borough officials, said he could not comment on the case because he had not discussed the ruling with his clients.

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