Can Church Members Examine Church Records? - Download

Can church members inspect church records? If so, which records can be inspected and under what circumstances? What about nonmembers?

Understanding the guidelines here can help you and your church navigate through some touchy issues. Generally, there is no inherent right to inspect church records. Such a right must be granted in some legal document, such as state nonprofit corporation law, a church's charter or bylaws, state securities law (if the church has issued securities), or a subpoena.

Church records are not protected from inspection, except in the rare case of documents that are subject to the clergy-penitent privilege. This report reviews some of the possible ways to justify an inspection of the records.