Minnesota Church Law

Church Law Topics

Attorney Gary C. Dahle – Legal Services to Minnesota Churches

Minnesota Church Law is comprised of Chapter 315, and Chapter 317A, of the Minnesota Statutes, the judicial interpretations found in such statutes, and various other Minnesota statutes relating to Minnesota Church Law, including Real Property Tax Exemptions, Minnesota church cemeteries, and clergy employment issues – among others.

Chapter 315, is a body of quasi-corporate Minnesota Church Law which loosely governs Minnesota religious corporations, societies, and certain churches;
Chapter 317A comprises the Minnesota Church Law corporate statutes which have comprehensively governed all Minnesota “non-profit corporations” since 1991 – including, but not limited to, many Minnesota Church Corporations.

Since 1992, Attorney Gary C. Dahle has represented a variety of Minnesota churches – Baptist, Evangelical, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, and independent churches, with respect to various aspects of Minnesota Church Law – including:,

Minnesota Church Mergers,
application for IRC Section 501(c)(3) tax exempt status,
bond financing for construction purposes,
bond “refinancing” in order to obtain a lower interest rate on church debt,
clergy issues,
employment issues,
Minnesota church insurance issues,
Minnesota cemetery law,
Minnesota church on-site day care issues,
Minnesota church probate matters,
Minnesota church property tax exemption issues,
real property easements,
real property title issues,
school issues,
the sale of church real property – including the manner of congregational approval of such sales,
congregational disputes;
conflicts in the congregation, and
the drafting and revising of Articles of Incorporation, Constitutions and Bylaws.

Minnesota Church Attorney Gary C. Dahle has represented churches located in the Minnesota cities of Arden Hills, Blaine, Bloomington, Chaska, Corcoran, Coon Rapids, Eden Prairie, Fridley, Mounds View, Roseville, St. Louis Park, and Wyoming.