Von G. Keetch

Von G. Keetch (born March 17th, 1960) is a Utah based lawyer. He is a sharehold in the lawfirm of Kirton and McConkie and a member of the Constitutional, Religious and Appellate Practice section for that law firm.

Keetch is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Keetch has served as a member of Utah's Appellate Court Nominating Commission, a position to which he was apointed by Governor Jon Huntsman. [ [http://deseretnews.com/cgi-bin/cqcgi_plus/@plus.env?CQ_SESSION_KEY=VOHYCAWEMAZH&CQ_CUR_DOCUMENT=1&CQ_TEXT_MAIN=YES "Deseret News", March 22nd, 2005] ]

Keetch co-wrote with Matthew K. Richards "The Need for Legislation to enshrine religious liberty in the Land Use Context".

Keetch has served as a lawyer for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in cases involving suits over sexual molestation of one member towards another. [ [http://www.rickross.com/reference/mormon/mormon53.html article on Oregon case] ] He has also been involved in several other lawsuits along these lines related to questions of clerical reporting and responsibility. In another case in Washington Keetch was the church's lawyer in a case where the church was sued because a bishop had failed to report accusations of sexual abuse by a girl in his ward, yet Washington law does not require clergy to report such allegations. [ [http://www.sweenytod.com/rno/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=1383 report on case] ] Keetch has also made statements for the church in regard to the Boy Scouts of America. [http://www.religioustolerance.org/bsa_8.htm] Keetch was also one of the lawyers involved in the Church's attempts to overcome the overbearing zoning restrictions in West Lynn, Oregon. [http://www.publications.ojd.state.or.us/S51504.htm]

Keetch also served as the LDS Church's lawyer in litigation related to the Main Street Plaza case. [ [http://deseretnews.com/cgi-bin/cqcgi_plus/@plus.env?CQ_SESSION_KEY=VOHYCAWEMAZH&CQ_CUR_DOCUMENT=1&CQ_TEXT_MAIN=YES "Deseret News", June 24th, 2003] ] He was also involved in the Church's 2006 settlement with the ACLU over issues at Martin's Cove in Wyoming. [ [http://deseretnews.com/cgi-bin/cqcgi_plus/@plus.env?CQ_SESSION_KEY=VOHYCAWEMAZH&CQ_CUR_DOCUMENT=1&CQ_TEXT_MAIN=YES "Deseret News" June 8th, 2006] ]

Keetch along with Alexander Dushku also of Kirton and McConkie have filed many cases related to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. [ [http://www.religionlink.org/tip_041130czones.php mention of Keetch as defender of religious freedom] ] In 2007 they presented an amicus curiae brief to the United States Supreme COurt in behalf of a large coalition of religious organizations in defense of a broad interpretation of burdening of religious freedom. [ [http://www.scotusblog.com/movabletype/archives/06-1497_cert_amicus_Baptist.pdf] ]

Keetch served as a clerk to Warren Berger and Antonin Scalia.

Keetch holds a bachelors degree from Brigham Young University and a law degree from the J. Reuben Clark Law School at BYU. Keetch has served as an adjunct professor at BYU. He was the managing editor of the BYU Law Review from 1986-1987.

Keetch currently serves as president of the Brigham Young University 14th Stake. ["LDS Church News", May 19th, 2002]

ources

* [http://www.kmclaw.com/attorney_profiles.php?empid=42 Kirton and McConkie bio]
* [http://www.martindale.com/Von-G-Keetch/1717048-lawyer.htm Keetch bio]

External Links

* [http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/judiciary/hju57227.000/hju57227_0f.htm Keetch testimony on the importance of religious assembly, at about page 110]