October 2, 2008

FTE Intervention

In the midst of litigation about drafts of the book Of Pandas and People, FTE (represented by lawyers from the Alliance Defense Fund) filed a motion to intervene in the case as co-defendants. This motion was opposed by both Plaintiffs and Defense. At an oral hearing on July 14, 2005, FTE argued that if it were allowed to intervene, it would reintroduce expert witnesses William Dembski and Stephen Meyer. This was a dubious argument as FTE's lawyers (working closely with the Discovery Institute) had played a role in the withdrawal of Dembski and Meyer in the first place. At the hearing, Buell was also cross-examined on his claims that "intelligent design" was not creationism, and Plaintiffs introduced a draft Summary Chapter of "Pandas" showing that it was. On July 27, 2005, the motion to intervene was denied on the grounds that the motion was not timely, intervention would extend and delay the case, and the FTE's interests were not substantially different from the current Defendants, who were already receiving vigorous representation from the Thomas More Law Center. FTE was given leave to file an amicus brief, which they later did.

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