Kendall v. Kendall, 426 Mass. 238 (1997), cert. denied, 118 U.S. 2369 (1998)
Atwood & Cherny represented the wife. She and the parties' three minor children were Orthodox Jews. The Husband was a member of a Christian-Bible based religion, whose exposure to the children of his religious beliefs was found by a Guardian Ad Litem and the trial court to cause them harm. As a result, the trial court restricted the husband from exposing the children to his religion. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court unanimously affirmed the lower court's prohibitions, declaring that the husband's constitutional rights were not violated and that protecting the children's best interests was a compelling interest sufficient to curtail the husband's individual liberties. Atwood & Cherny also succesfully defended the husband's petition to the United States Supreme Court.
Atwood & Cherny represented the wife. She and the parties' three minor children were Orthodox Jews. The Husband was a member of a Christian-Bible based religion, whose exposure to the children of his religious beliefs was found by a Guardian Ad Litem and the trial court to cause them harm. As a result, the trial court restricted the husband from exposing the children to his religion. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court unanimously affirmed the lower court's prohibitions, declaring that the husband's constitutional rights were not violated and that protecting the children's best interests was a compelling interest sufficient to curtail the husband's individual liberties. Atwood & Cherny also succesfully defended the husband's petition to the United States Supreme Court.