Douglas Laycock, the Alice McKean Young Regents Chair in Law at the University of Texas in Austin, will deliver DePaul University College of Law's 1997 Enlund Scholar Colloquium on "Congressional Power to Enforce the 14th Amendment: The Constitutionality of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act."

He will speak at 3 p.m., March 11, in Room 8005 of the DePaul Center, 1 E. Jackson Blvd. Laycock's presentation is free and open to the public.

Laycock represents the Archbishop of San Antonio, Texas, P.F. Flores, in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court involving the city of Boerne's denial to allow a small Catholic church from enlarging its 1923 revival mission-style building in a historic district in Boerne, a small town near San Antonio. The church wanted to enlarge its building because it could not accommodate the number of worshipers who wanted to attend mass.

In the appeal of the Boerne case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit rejected claims that Congress had overstepped its authority in passing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. That act says that government can interfere with religious practices only if it can prove its action furthers a "compelling government issue."

"We are fortunate to have someone so intimately involved in this landmark case as this year's Enlund Scholar." said Stephen Siegel, DePaul University College of Law professor and colloquium chairman. "This case lies at the intersection of Congressional power, religious liberties and federal/state relations," said Siegel. "Professor Laycock helped draft the Religious Freedom Act, testified on its behalf before Congress and is arguing its constitutionality before the U.S. Supreme Court."

In his presentation as the 1997 Enlund Scholar, Laycock will discuss whether or not the U.S. Supreme Court is the only branch of government that defines religious liberty, or if other branches of the government, such as Congress, are able to enforce the constitution.

The Enlund Scholar Colloquium is funded by a gift from E. Stanley Enlund, a 1942 DePaul College of Law graduate. The Enlund Visitor-in-Residence Program attracts the nation's foremost legal scholars, who participate in classes, meet with students and faculty members, and share their ideas in the colloquium presentation.

Previous Enlund scholars have included: Randall Kennedy, Harvard Law School professor; Saul Levmore, Brokaw Professor of Corporate Law and Barron F. Black Research Professor at the University of Virginia School of Law; and Carrie Menkel-Meadow, professor at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law.

For more information call Siegel at 312/362-8144.