38.6c New Delhi, India, Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Top Stories Supreme Court
Political NEWS Legislative Corner Celebstreet International Videos
Subscribe Contact Us
close
International

US Supreme Court Rejects Challenge to Limits Imposed on Church Services and Gatherings Due To COVID-19 In 5:4 Ruling [READ ORDER]

By Parth Thummar      01 June, 2020 02:19 PM      0 Comments
US Supreme Court Church Services and Gatherings COVID19

The Supreme Court of the United States of America on May 29, 2020, rejected an application for a temporary injunction filed by South Bay United Pentecostal Church against the restrictions imposed by Gavin Newsom, Governor of California on attendance in places of worship as a part of COVID-19 measures. 

To contain the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Governor of California had passed an executive order that forced attendance at worship sites to 25% of the building's capacity or the maximum number of 100 in attendance. 

At the outset, the Court noted that,

Although Californias guidelines place restrictions on places of worship, those restrictions appear consistent with the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. 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. 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.

The Court noted that the Constitution had entrusted the safety and the health of the people to the politically accountable officials of the States to guard and protect. When those officials undertake to act in areas fraught with medical and scientific uncertainties, their latitude must be especially broad. Where those broad limits are not exceeded, they should not be subject to second-guessing by an unelected federal judiciary, which lacks the background, competence, and expertise to assess public health and is not accountable to the people. 

On the contrary, a dissenting minority group of judges noted that Californias latest safety guidelines discriminated against places of worship and in favor of comparable secular businesses (factories, offices, supermarkets, restaurants, retail stores, pharmacies, shopping malls, pet grooming shops, bookstores, florists, hair salons, and cannabis dispensaries). Such discrimination had violated the First Amendment.

South Bay United Pentecostal Church had in its application shown willingness to abide by the States rules that apply to comparable secular businesses, including the rules regarding social distancing and hygiene. 

The minority opinion held that What California needs is a compelling justification for distinguishing between (i) religious worship services and (ii) the litany of other secular businesses that are not subject to an occupancy cap and in their mind, California had not shown such a justification. They also noted that the State cannot assume the worst when people go to worship but assume the best when people go to work or go about the rest of their daily lives in permitted social settings.

 

 

[READ ORDER]



Share this article:



Leave a feedback about this
TRENDING NEWS

sc-sets-up-sit-on-allegations-against-anant-ambani-vantara
Trending CelebStreet
SC sets up SIT on allegations against Anant Ambani's Vantara [Read Order]

SC forms SIT led by ex-judge J Chelameswar to probe allegations of illegal animal acquisition, mistreatment & financial irregularities at Anant Ambani’s Vantara.

26 August, 2025 01:57 PM
sc-deplores-high-courts-for-delaying-judgments-over-a-year
Trending Judiciary
SC Deplores High Courts for Delaying Judgments Over a Year [Read Judgment]

SC slams delay: Supreme Court deplores HCs for not delivering judgments for over a year after reserving cases, eroding faith in justice.

26 August, 2025 05:17 PM

TOP STORIES

setback-for-wb-govt-sc-dismisses-review-petition-in-teachers-recruitment-scam-case
Trending Judiciary
'Setback for WB govt,' SC dismisses review petition in teachers’ recruitment scam case [Read Order]

SC dismisses WB govt’s review plea in teachers’ recruitment scam; upholds invalidation of 25,753 tainted appointments to protect selection purity.

21 August, 2025 02:09 PM
sc-dismisses-plea-against-suspension-of-toll-collection-due-to-poor-road-upkeep-long-traffic-jam
Trending Judiciary
SC dismisses plea against suspension of toll collection due to poor road upkeep, long traffic jam [Read Order]

SC upholds Kerala HC order halting toll at Paliyekkara over poor highway upkeep, traffic jams, citing citizens’ plight, fuel wastage & environment.

21 August, 2025 02:47 PM
caste-abuse-at-home-doesnt-attract-scst-act-applicable-only-in-public-view-telangana-hc
Trending Judiciary
Caste Abuse at Home Doesn’t Attract SC/ST Act, Applicable Only in ‘Public View’: Telangana HC [Read Order]

Telangana HC quashes SC/ST Act case in marital dispute, ruling caste abuse at home doesn’t qualify—Act applies only in ‘public view’.

21 August, 2025 02:55 PM
sc-raises-alimony-from-rs-15-lakh-to-rs-50-lakh-for-m-tech-wife-as-doctor-husband-got-capacity-to-pay
Trending Judiciary
SC raises alimony from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 50 lakh for M Tech wife as doctor husband got capacity to pay [Read Judgment]

SC enhances alimony to ₹50 lakh for M Tech wife, stressing balance between doctor husband’s capacity to pay and wife’s needs.

21 August, 2025 03:32 PM

ADVERTISEMENT


Join Group

Signup for Our Newsletter

Get Exclusive access to members only content by email