May 31, 1989: Philip Paulson sues the City of San Diego to remove the Soledad Cross
December 3, 1991: United States District Court for the Southern District of California, ruled in favor Paulson
June 2, 1992: San Diego voters approved Proposition F, which allowed sale of the cross to a non-profit corporation
September 18, 1997, Judge Thompson ruled that the sale violated the California Constitution
1998: the City attempted to sell the land to a private group again
2000: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the City's sale of the cross violated the California Constitution
2003: the Supreme Court denied defendants' petitions for review
November 2004: voters rejected a ballot measure to authorize a third sale of the land
July 26, 2005: voters approve Proposition A, a ballot measure to transfer the property to the Interior Department
October 7, 2005: Judge Cowett found the ballot measure unconstitutional
July 2006: the Supreme Court issues a stay which stops a court order forcing imminent removal of the cross
August 14, 2006: President George W. Bush signed a law that would transfer the cross to the Interior Department
January 2011: the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled the transfer unconstitutional
June 25, 2012: the Supreme Court denied certiorari to hear the case
July 20, 2015: Mt. Soledad Memorial Association reported that it had bought the land under the cross from the Dept.
of Defense
September 7, 2016: the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismisses the case
May 31, 1989: Philip Paulson sues the City of San Diego to remove the Soledad Cross
December 3, 1991: United States District Court for the Southern District of California, ruled in favor Paulson
June 2, 1992: San Diego voters approved Proposition F, which allowed sale of the cross to a non-profit corporation
September 18, 1997, Judge Thompson ruled that the sale violated the California Constitution
1998: the City attempted to sell the land to a private group again
2000: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals found that the City's sale of the cross violated the California Constitution
2003: the Supreme Court denied defendants' petitions for review
November 2004: voters rejected a ballot measure to authorize a third sale of the land
July 26, 2005: voters approve Proposition A, a ballot measure to transfer the property to the Interior Department
October 7, 2005: Judge Cowett found the ballot measure unconstitutional
July 2006: the Supreme Court issues a stay which stops a court order forcing imminent removal of the cross
August 14, 2006: President George W. Bush signed a law that would transfer the cross to the Interior Department
January 2011: the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled the transfer unconstitutional
June 25, 2012: the Supreme Court denied certiorari to hear the case
July 20, 2015: Mt. Soledad Memorial Association reported that it had bought the land under the cross from the Dept. of Defense
September 7, 2016: the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismisses the case
Mount Soledad Cross