The Indianapolis Baptist Temple stops withholding federal income taxes and Social Security taxes from church employees' paychecks. The IRS conducts a sale of church property in Hamilton County. The Department of Justice files a complaint against the church and Dixon. U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker rejects the church's arguments based on First Amendment and religious grounds. Barker orders the church to vacate its property by Nov. 14, 2000.
Appeals court refuses to delay foreclosure.
U.S. Marshals peacefully seize church parsonage. U.S. Supreme Court rejects church's appeal. Federal marshals seize church. The U.S. Supreme Court on Jan. 16 turned down the church's argument that to preserve its religious freedom, it does not have to pay Social Security, Medicare and income taxes for its workers. The decision cleared the way for the church's seizure.