Supreme Court, in 5-4 Decision, Rejects Church's Challenge to Shutdown Order

[Judi Lynn]

Source: New York Times


A California church argued that restrictions on public gatherings treated houses of worship worse than many businesses.

By Adam Liptak
May 30, 2020, 12:54 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday turned away a request from a church in California to block enforcement of state restrictions on attendance at religious services.

The vote was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. joining the court’s four-member liberal wing to form a majority.

“Although California’s guidelines place restrictions on places of worship, those restrictions appear consistent with the free exercise clause of the First Amendment,” Chief Justice Roberts wrote in an opinion concurring in the unsigned ruling.

“Similar or more severe restrictions apply to comparable secular gatherings, including lectures, concerts, movie showings, spectator sports and theatrical performances, where large groups of people gather in close proximity for extended periods of time,” the chief justice wrote. “And the order exempts or treats more leniently only dissimilar activities, such as operating grocery stores, banks and laundromats, in which people neither congregate in large groups nor remain in close proximity for extended periods.”

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh noted dissents.



Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/30/us/supreme-court-churches-coronavirus.html

[msongs]

1. well that's a surprise, and good news nt

[Rainbow Droid]

3. No, it isn't. It's a calculation. The credibility of the SC is already at a record low and he knows

it is going to get even lower in the coming year. Later on when he votes through the most regressive, undemocratic, partisan measures in the history of the United States he wants to be able to point to stuff like this and go, "See? I'm just calling balls and strikes."

It doesn't matter that nobody will actually believe him.

Trump has shown us that, for a significant portion of this country, facts don't matter and neither does lying about them. Look at the two unqualified partisan stooges that Trump and Mitch rammed through the confirmation process in the most cynical and undemocratic way possible. You think that's going to stop? They're going to keep doubling down on retaining the gains made in these power grabs, and even expanding them further, no matter what.

NO MATTER WHAT.

[BumRushDaShow]

9. THIS

I noticed that Roberts has a penchant for "giving" for one thing and then subsequently "taking away" with another. That is his idea of "balance/Judicial center".

So in this case, he "giveth" to California by upholding the state's coronavirus restrictions for many entities including houses of worship, but only AFTER he had "taketh away" in Wisconsin when that state attempted to extend the absentee ballot submissions deadline, resulting in forcing people to stand in line for extended periods of time if they still wanted to vote, but potentially getting infected while doing so.

[cstanleytech]

10. Thats why if we can regain enough control in the House and Senate we should change SCOTUS to 13

judges and appoint 3 very young liberal judges and one truly moderate one to the position to bring the court back into balance.

[Initech]

2. Womp womp!

[Judi Lynn]

4. John Roberts joins liberals as Supreme Court rejects challenge to Newsom's COVID-19 limits on Califo

John Roberts joins liberals as Supreme Court rejects challenge to Newsom’s COVID-19 limits on California church attendance
Published 1 hour ago on May 30, 2020By Roxanne Cooper

In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court on Friday rejected an emergency appeal from the South Bay United Pentecostal Church in Chula Vista, California. The San Diego area church tried to challenge the state’s limits on attendance at worship services:

The church argued that limits on how many people can attend their services violate constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and had been seeking an order in time for services on Sunday. The church said it has crowds of 200 to 300 people for its services.

Roberts wrote in brief opinion that the restriction allowing churches to reopen at 25% of their capacity, with no more than 100 worshipers at a time, “appear consistent” with the First Amendment. Roberts said similar or more severe limits apply to concerts, movies and sporting events “where large groups of people gather in close proximity for extended periods of time.”

Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote in dissent that the restriction “discriminates against places of worship and in favor of comparable secular businesses. Such discrimination violates the First Amendment.” Kavanaugh pointed to supermarkets, restaurants, hair salons, cannabis dispensaries and other businesses that are not subject to the same restrictions.

More:
https://www.rawstory.com/2020/05/john-roberts-joins-liberals-as-supreme-court-rejects-challenge-to-newsoms-covid-19-limits-on-california-church-attendance/

[Dopers_Greed]

5. I feel like this will fire up conservatives even more to go vote

And liberals will keep ragging on Biden's "you ain't black" quote, while forgetting that the Supreme Court even exists.

[Progressive Jones]

6. All four dissenters are slaves of The Vatican. nt

[DonCoquixote]

7. I will NOT look a got horse in the mouth

though you know this means Mitch will be waiting til rbg dies to put a full bl;own fire breathing fascist!

[DallasNE]

8. What Are Those 4 Right Wing Judges Thinking

Roberts framed it well. The ruling should have been 9-0 as this looks pretty cut and dried. What passage in the Bible are they pointing to as the feeble, thin reason for dissent.

[sl8]

11. Dissent (and concurrence) (PDF) :

It's very short.

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/19a1044_pok0.pdf