Five churches in Santa Clara County in California, through Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), secured a six-figure damage award after the U.S. Supreme Court agreed that the county's COVID-19 public health orders discriminated against the five churches.
Together with the Cannistraci Law Firm and McAllister Law Group, PJI represented five churches including Gateway City Church, The Home Church, The Spectrum Church, Orchard Community Church, and Trinity Bible Church.
In a press release, PJI stated that on February 26, 2021, the Supreme Court granted their emergency writ injunction in a 6-3 decision, saying that the churches were allowed to hold indoor worship services. The Supreme Court also agreed that the County's public health orders discriminated against the five churches by treating other establishments more favorably such as grocery stores and airports.
The negotiations that took almost a year reached a favorable settlement on behalf of the churches. Founder and President of PJI, Brad Dacus had said, "PJI doesn't quit until justice is completely served, as evidenced by our unwavering challenge to the County's reprehensible health orders and our completion of a major financial settlement for the churches."
According to PJI, they protected the religious rights of the churches. "This is a classic illustration of what Benjamin Franklin meant when he coined the phrase 'doing well by doing good.' PJI protected the religious rights of the churches, and this victory manifests in the churches' continued opportunities to ensure that peoples' eternal destinies are secured-the best kind of remuneration," Dacus continued.
CBN News reported that California placed "one of the most aggressive states" in the nation when it comes to its public health restrictions among its citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic. The state and several counties imposed large fines against houses of worship for COVID violations.
The local and state governments handled lawsuits against churches that were "unfairly treated" after not imposing the same standards and capacity limits on warehouses, big-box centers, shopping malls, liquor stores, fitness centers, and museums.
Meanwhile, last February Santa Clara County announced that it will proceed with its lawsuit against Calvary Chapel San Jose to collect more than $2.8 million in unpaid fines for resisting COVID-19 health orders, Kron4 reported.
Based on the report, Santa Clara County Superior Court issued a ruling that allows the County to move forward with its lawsuit against the church and its senior pastor, Mike McClure.
"We are pleased the Court has allowed the claims against Calvary and Pastor McClure to move forward," said County Counsel James R. Williams.
According to Mercury News, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled in favor of Santa Clara County because its ordinance regarding indoor gatherings wasn't for churches only. "The challenged ban on indoor "gatherings" currently in effect for Santa Clara County applies equally to all indoor gatherings of any kind or type, whether public or private, religious or secular," judges said in the decision.
The five South Bay churches filed a motion with the Ninth Circuit, arguing that Santa Clara County wasn't exempted from the ruling of the Supreme Court. Initially, the High Court issued an injunction but eventually canceled it making Santa Clara County proceed with the lawsuit.
