The Florida appeals court has cleared the way for Judge Richard Nielsen to consider using Islamic law to aid in his decision.
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A Florida appeals court appears to have cleared the way for a Hillsborough judge to use Islamic law to decide a key issue in a lawsuit involving a local mosque.
In a case that has attracted national attention, the 2nd District Court of Appeal on Friday denied without comment a petition to prevent Judge Richard Nielsen from invoking Islamic law.
The petition, filed by the Islamic Education Center of Tampa, contested a March ruling by Nielsen announcing his intent to use “ecclesiastical Islamic law” in the case.
Nielsen limited his use of Islamic law to deciding whether arbitration by an Islamic scholar mediating a dispute between the mosque and ousted trustees followed the teachings of the Koran.
The arbitration itself is in dispute, with mosque officials saying it never took place.
Continue reading: Appeals court won’t stop Hillsborough judge from considering Islamic law