Editing Scientology and law (section)

==== Larry Wollersheim ====
{{Main|Lawrence Wollersheim#Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology}}
In the case of ''Wollersheim vs. Church of Scientology'' (1980), former member [[Lawrence Wollersheim|Larry Wollersheim]] sued the organization for mental distress, and was awarded $30&nbsp;million in damages. On appeal, the award was reduced to $2.5&nbsp;million.<ref name=wollersheim>[[Wikisource:Wollersheim v. Church of Scientology]]</ref> In 1996, Wollersheim was awarded an additional $130,506.71 in attorney's fees incurred while defending against a church lawsuit that was dismissed for violating a California law prohibiting [[strategic lawsuits against public participation]].<ref name=wollersheim/> The Church vowed not to pay the award, and the case dragged through the courts for 22 years, including two separate appeals to the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] and two additional appeals to the [[Supreme Court of California]]. In early 2002, the case was finally settled, with the Church of Scientology paying Larry Wollersheim $8,674,643.<ref name="factnet">{{cite press release |title=Scientology cult pays $8,674,643 to ex-member to end 22-year legal battle. |url=http://www.factnet.org/letters/FACTNewsMay2002Wollersheim.html |publisher=[[FACTNet]] |date=May 9, 2002 |access-date=2006-08-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903133811/http://www.factnet.org/letters/FACTNewsMay2002Wollersheim.html  |archive-date=September 3, 2006 }}
</ref><ref name="Crushing Defeat">
{{cite web|first=Tony |last=Ortega |author-link=Tony Ortega |title=Scientology's Crushing Defeat |url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2008/06/24/scientologys-crushing-defeat/ |work=[[The Village Voice]] |date=June 30, 2008 |access-date=2008-06-30 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080709230659/http://www.villagevoice.com/2008-06-24/news/Scientologys-Crushing-Defeat/full |archive-date=July 9, 2008 }}
</ref>