Co-founder of Dalton & Tomich, PLC receives Silver Service Award from nonprofit organization for service to Body of Christ

Contact: Daniel Dalton, 313-859-6000

DETROIT, Aug. 19, 2015 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Alliance Defending Freedom has granted attorney Daniel P. Dalton the organization's Silver Service Award in recognition of his work defending the right of Christian churches and other institutions to practice religious freedom. The Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.

Dalton is co-founder of Detroit-based Dalton & Tomich, PLC and is one of the country's most experienced and successful attorneys in representing churches and others in land use and zoning cases. He is the nation's preeminent expert in the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, also known as RLUIPA. Dalton is the author of the only book dedicated to RLUIPA – "Litigating Religious Land Use Cases", published by the American Bar Association.

Dalton has won dozens of RLUIPA cases across the country – working on behalf of practitioners of many different religions and contending with varying interpretations of the law in each and every state.

"Across the country, churches are facing opposition from their communities, including when expansion or relocation is necessary to advance a doctrinal mission. In a country built on the freedom of religion, this opposition often amounts to a violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution," Dalton said. "We've had a lot of success standing up for religious freedom on behalf of 'the little guys.'"

Recent RLUIPA cases include support for Church of Our Savior in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, Carlinville Southern Baptist Church in Carlinville, Illinois and San Diego-based Academy of Our Lady of Peace Catholic High School, for which Dalton secured a $1.1 million landmark verdict in favor of the school.

Dalton & Tomich, PLC also represents religious institutions in church property disputes and employment law matters, offering comprehensive legal services to Christian organizations and other houses of worship.

Dalton is a graduate of the University of Detroit School of Law and Western Michigan University.

For more information or to request a consultation with Daniel Dalton today, visit www.attorneysforlanduse.com or call 313-859-6000.