OY VEY: Scientology invokes Jewish Law to answer lawsuit by attorney Vance Woodward - 2014-06-04

OY VEY: Scientology invokes Jewish Law to answer lawsuit by attorney Vance Woodward June 4, 2014, Tony Ortega, Underground Bunker

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In March, the Church of Scientology was sued by former member Vance Woodward, an attorney in the Los Angeles area. Readers at the Underground Bunker were familiar with Vance — he helped us do a comprehensive and fun series, reading L. Ron Hubbard's essential text, Dianetics, cover to cover. Over his 22-year career in the church, Vance estimated that he'd spent about $600,000 and about a third of that was for services he never received.

As part of its 1993 agreement with the IRS that gained Scientology tax-exempt status, the church is required to give refunds to members who qualify for them. But Vance is one of many former members who say Scientology's refund process is a sham. He's suing because he says there's no way to get his money back through the church's own procedures.

Now, Scientology has answered Vance's lawsuit in a predictable way — the church has filed a motion asking the Los Angeles Superior Court to find that Woodward should subject himself to Scientology's internal arbitration rules and dismiss his lawsuit.

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{{cite news | first = Tony | last = Ortega | title = OY VEY: Scientology invokes Jewish Law to answer lawsuit by attorney Vance Woodward | url = https://tonyortega.org/2014/06/04/oy-vey-scientology-invokes-jewish-law-to-answer-lawsuit-by-attorney-vance-woodward/ | work = Underground Bunker | date = June 4, 2014 | accessdate = August 21, 2017 }}