Court moves toward giving more time to a former account and former student more time even though dis- missing some of the claims against Oral Roberts University and its board of regents.
Former ORU accountant Trent Huddleston has sued the university and regents, claiming that he was forced to break tax laws or lose his job. He alleges that more than $1 billion annually was funneled through the university and possibly given to regents. He also alleges that former ORU President Richard Roberts and his wife, Lindsay Roberts, misspent university money to support a lavish lifestyle.
Tim and Paulita Brooker, two former ORU professors,also have sued ORU and its governing body, claiming wrongful termination. Tim Brooker says he was fired after giving regents a copy of a report that alleged misdeeds by Richard Roberts.
ORU repeatedly has denied these claims. Richard Roberts resigned in November, and the university is conducting a search for a new president.
In court Friday, attorney Robert Fitz-Patrick criticized the plaintiffs' claims by saying, "All of the allegations are just part of an effort to smear the Robertses".
Attorneys for ORU, the regents and the Robertses won technical legal arguments Friday regarding Huddleston's claims of negligence, civil conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and wrongful discharge.
His attorneys have two more weeks to file amended petitions to attempt to persuade the court not to dismiss the claims completely. Huddleston also is suing for fraud, and his attorneys will also file more details to substantiate that claim.
Immediately after the accountant's hearing, Tulsa County District Judge Michael Gassett heard arguments in a lawsuit filed by former ORU student David Brown, who alleges that he was not able to complete his history degree with a concentration in Middle East studies after one of his professors was fired.
That professor, John Swails, originally was part of the Brooker lawsuit but has settled his part of the suit and rejoined ORU's faculty.
The judge also allowed them more time to reargue claims of civil conspiracy and interference with a business relationship in Brown's case. Brown also is suing for fraud and breach of contract.
Christian Web News - First, a San Diego pastor was told that he could not have home Bible studies without a Major Use Permit. Then, a church in Gilbert, Arizona was told that they were violating zoning codes by meeting in a home. Now a third church is being told they cannot have home meetings.
Christian Web News - A Prayer Vigil is scheduled on Sunday, May 16th, to honor the lives of Steven Ocean and Tite Sufra, two courageous young black men who were shot to death while sharing the Gospel on the streets of Boynton Beach, Florida on January 30th.
Christian Web News - Chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team were on the ground in Port-au-Prince less than 24 hours after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook the country of Haiti on Jan. 12.
Christian Web News - So many people across our nation, young people especially, are Biblically illiterate. Confusion and intimidation of the Bible's length and complexity causes many people to give up on reading the Bible altogether.
Christian Web News - According to advocacy group Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF), within the next 24 hours, officials in southern Laos plan to burn temporary shelters built by expelled Christians unless they deny their faith.
Christian Web News - Fortunately, the nation's first “hate speech” bill has been killed by the Massachusetts Senate. The Joint Education Committee's Martha Walz and Robert O'Leary added the provision to an anti-bullying bill. Had it passed, it would have punished any criticism of homosexuality with a term in jail or a fine.
Christian Web News - On Wednesday, Republican senators said that House members who vote for the Senate-passed health care bill would “own it,” and that nothing would be changed through reconciliation. Which includes prohibiting federal (taxpayer) funds from being used to pay for abortions.
Christian Web News - On Sunday, on the streets of multiple cities in Spain, tens of thousands of people protested a new law that would allow abortion on demand.
Christian Web News - On Tuesday, a European court ordered Turkey to remove the religious affiliation section from citizens’ identification cards, calling the practice a violation of human rights.
Christian Web News - SBC International Mission Board President Jerry Rankin is making a strong case for change within his denomination as he gets ready to walk away from the command of its missions arm following 17 years of service.
Christian Web News - Parents are being urged by a national coalition of organizations committed to preserving parental rights in public education, restoring academic integrity to public education, and removing partisan political protests from the classroom to call their children out of school on the Day of Silence if their school is permitting students to refuse to speak in class.
Christian Web News - A new survey found that not even half of churchgoers in America plan on inviting non-churchgoers to Easter worship service this year.
Rev 13:16-18 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Christian Web News - At a time when greed and corruption seem to run rampant and morals seem nonexistent, many people wonder where to look for role models.
For the millions of junior high, high school and college students heading back to school, the idea of returning to the classroom may be met with mixed emotions.
Christian Web News - Jesus has a way of getting right to the point, doesn't He? There was certainly no mincing of words, He came right out and said, "why are you fearful?" and then went on to say, "O you of little faith." You don't have to read between the lines to see what He was saying, they had little faith.
Christian Web News - Galatians 3:13-14. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree''), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Court moves toward giving more time to a former account and former student more time even though dis- missing some of the claims against Oral Roberts University and its board of regents.
Christian Web News - SBC International Mission Board President Jerry Rankin is making a strong case for change within his denomination as he gets ready to walk away from the command of its missions arm following 17 years of service.
Christian Web News - Parents are being urged by a national coalition of organizations committed to preserving parental rights in public education, restoring academic integrity to public education, and removing partisan political protests from the classroom to call their children out of school on the Day of Silence if their school is permitting students to refuse to speak in class.
Christian Web News - A new survey found that not even half of churchgoers in America plan on inviting non-churchgoers to Easter worship service this year.
Rev 13:16-18 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. 
