Universal Life Church Drops Lawsuit Against Cleveland County Register of Deeds
Ministry’s Allegations of Religious Discrimination Unfounded
SHELBY, NC – Cleveland County announced that Universal Life Church (ULC) has dismissed the lawsuit it filed against Cleveland County Register of Deeds Betsy Harnage. The lawsuit was filed on Aug. 26 and dismissed three days later on Aug. 29. In the lawsuit, the Church had claimed that the Register of Deeds had a policy of refusing to recognize marriages performed by ULC-ordained ministers. The lawsuit alleged that this amounted to illegal religious discrimination.
“As it turns out, Universal Life Church did not have all of the facts of the case before they filed the lawsuit,” Harnage said. “We would have explained this couple was married prior to obtaining their marriage license. Their allegations of religious discrimination were unfounded,” added Harnage.
According to Cleveland County Senior Staff Attorney Elliot Engstrom:
“Chapter 51, Article 2 of the N.C. General Statutes requires that couples apply for, and obtain, a marriage license before their wedding ceremony. After the ceremony, the marriage license is then filed with the Register of Deeds. The couple involved in this case had their ceremony first, and then sought to obtain a marriage license with the Cleveland County Register of Deeds retroactively. Citing state law, the Register of Deeds correctly declined to issue the marriage license after the fact. This case had everything to do with procedure and nothing to do with religious discrimination.”
“Had I issued the marriage license as the couple requested, I would have been in violation of state law,” Harnage said. “I hope that ULC and others will do their due diligence and gather all of the facts before making harmful allegations,” Harnage added.
Universal Life Church posted this statement on their website on Aug. 29:
Update: On Aug. 26, 2019, the Universal Life Church Monastery filed a lawsuit against the Cleveland County Register of Deeds, Betsy Harnage, alleging that the County had a policy of refusing to issue marriage licenses to couples who wished to be married by ministers ordained by our Church. Lawyers for Cleveland County have clarified that no such policy exists. Based on that representation, the Church is dropping its lawsuit and sincerely apologizes to Ms. Harnage.
For more information about obtaining a marriage license in Cleveland County, please visit www.clevelandcounty.com and click on How do I -> Apply for -> a Marriage License.
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