(December 17, 2015, 12:21 PM EST) -- DENVER — A pension plan offered by the Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) is a church plan, exempt from the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, a Colorado federal judge ruled Dec. 8 (Janeen Medina v. Catholic Health Initiatives, et al., No. 13-1249, D. Colo.; 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 164343).

(Decision available. Document #54-160113-003Z.)

In granting CHI partial summary judgment, U.S. Judge Robert E. Blackburn of the District of Colorado found that because all other claims by plaintiff Janeen Medina hinge upon a finding that...