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

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.
- 1993
- 2014
- Arbitration
- David Miscavige
- Dianetics
- First Amendment
- Florida
- Gary Soter
- IRS
- Jeffrey Augustine
- Jewish
- Karen de la Carriere
- Kendrick Moxon
- Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Superior Court
- Luis and Rocio Garcia
- Marty Rathbun
- Monique Rathbun
- News article
- Quicky
- Texas
- Tony Ortega
- Underground Bunker
- Vance Woodward
- Woodward v. Scientology