California church that held services despite COVID lockdown wins major victory in court, still faces targeted harassment from county Pastors and other leaders of one California church are celebrating a recent victory from the court, as they remain wary of continued legal harassment from the county.
Santa Clara County officials leveled a bevy of fines against Calvary Chapel in San Jose, California, as well as against senior pastor Mike McClure and other associate pastors because the church continued to hold worship services in 2020 without mask mandates or social distancing requirements. In November of that year, the county successfully petitioned the county Superior Court to hold the church and its pastors in contempt of court for violating county lockdowns.
The church was once again held in contempt the following February, though there is no indication that services held at Calvary Chapel led to outbreaks of COVID infection.
On Monday, however, California's Sixth District Court of Appeal reversed those rulings and the $200,000 in fines assessed against the pastors and church, citing a U.S. Supreme Court decision from 2021 ruling that the ban on indoor worship imposed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2020 violated the First Amendment.
"We conclude that the temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions are facially unconstitutional pursuant to the recent guidance of the United States Supreme Court regarding the First Amendment's protection of the free exercise of religion in the context of public health orders that impact religious practice," the appeals court said in its ruling.
McClure told Fox News that the ruling was "a blessing for the First Amendment."...........
https://www.theblaze.com/news/california-church-scores-victory-for-religious-freedom
