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. The church stopped withholding such taxes from its employees' paychecks in 1984, saying that payment would make the church an agent of the government. The church refuses to register for tax-exempt status. Registered churches are exempt from certain taxes, but still must pay employee withholding taxes.