If you haven't seen it yet, here's a fun tidbit in the Menlo park court docs... the defendants statement (Written by WT legal) calls it a "hierarchial" organization:
"Constitutional Law Defense: Evidence will show that the issue of Plaintiff Jason Cobb's qualifications for appointment and continued service as a congregation elder (minister) and his right to hold office in the Menlo Park religious corporation is exclusively goverened by the ecclesiastical doctrines and practices of the "hierarchial" religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses. As a matter of First Amendment Constitutional law, the provisions of the California Corporate Code do not override the internal religious governance and practices of a hierarchial structured religious organization."
And then in section B they go on to prove how the witnesses ARE in fact a hierarchial religious organization. Wait, what?
Cedar's new blog spells out how hard witnesses try to distance themselves from other dirty dirty hierarchial religions.
http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/are-jehovahs-witnesses-a-hierarchical-religion-and-does-it-matter
a fun quote:
“In contrast with many religious groups in Christendom, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not decide for themselves the form of spiritual government under which they operate. These sincere Christians endeavor to stick to Jehovah’s standards. Overseers among them are not put into office by some congregational, hierarchical, or presbyterian form of church government.” (w01 1/15 p13)
Riiiggghht.
*Edit: their main defense is that Jason Cobb is bringing this lawsuit cause he has hurt feelings about being removed as an elder.