In an order filed Tuesday, a San Francisco federal judge said litigation between the Heller estate and law firms that took on defecting partners belongs in bankruptcy court, finding that the firms didn’t establish cause for moving the cases to federal district court — at least not at this time.

Religious schools don’t have a free pass to ignore a key federal employment law based on a “ministerial exception.” At least not in the 6th Circuit, according to a ruling Tuesday in a case of first impression. Kindergarten teacher Cheryl Perich says she was unlawfully fired by Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran School in Redford, Mich., after she suddenly became ill — she was later diagnosed with narcolepsy — and went on disability leave.