Editor's note: According to the Christian Legal Society, the group also lost its appeal March 17, 2009, in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The unpublished case, Christian Legal Society v. Newton (UC Hastings), has been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

SAN FRANCISCO — A Christian group lost a federal lawsuit in which it sued Hastings College of the Law in 2004 for not recognizing it as an official campus organization.

The Christian Legal Society maintained it should get campus funding and other benefits without having to open its membership to gays, lesbians and nonbelievers, as required by the San Francisco law school, which is run by the University of California.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White on April 17 rejected the group's assertions that the law school's policy violated its freedoms of speech, religion and association.

White said the school's policy was "a reasonable regulation that is consistent with and furthers its educational purpose." He said the religious group remained free to determine its own membership without university funding.

The 30-member Hastings group was told in 2004 that it was being denied recognition, including university funding and benefits, because of its policy of exclusion.

The Christian Legal Society has about 140 chapters at universities nationwide. Many allow the exclusionary policy.

The case is Christian Legal Society v. Mary Kay Kane, 04-04484.