Bishops to Defy Order to Turn Over Records

The National Conference of Catholic Bishops told a federal judge today it will defy his order to turn over internal church documents sought as part of a suit challenging the church’s tax exempt status, church sources said.

The move could lead to contempt of court citations against the bishops’ conference and its action arm, the U.S. Catholic Conference.

The church contends that the subpoena of a vast array of internal documents is unconstitutional. Church sources said the decision not to comply with the subpoenas was made in the hope of prompting an appeal to a higher court.

U.S. District Judge Robert Carter had given the bishops’ conference until today to comply with the order and said he would consider citing the conference for contempt if it failed to do so.

A spokesman for the NCCB said he could not comment on the issue.

5-Year-Old Suit

The dispute stems from a 5-year-old suit against the church organizations by the Abortion Rights Mobilization and others seeking the revocation of the church’s tax exempt status because of its efforts to overturn the nation’s abortion laws.