(LibertySociety.com) – In October, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) issued an executive order limiting occupancy of houses of worship to 10 people. Catholic and Jewish worshippers almost immediately sued. On November 25, the Supreme Court of the US (SCOTUS) laid the matter to rest.
The high court ruled 5-4 that Cuomo’s restrictions violated the First Amendment of the Constitution because the governor was treating churches differently than comparable establishments. For instance, under the restrictions, businesses like pet stores weren’t given limits.
Just before midnight on the night before Thanksgiving, the Supreme Court blocked New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo from enforcing attendance limits at religious services. The vote is 5-4, with Roberts and the three liberals dissenting.
Here is the ruling: https://t.co/AI8VgygAPx https://t.co/yYuwY0piOO
— SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) November 26, 2020
Not only was this case important because it upheld the First Amendment, but it was also a prime example of how the court has changed with Justice Amy Coney Barrett on the bench.
Over the summer, when Ruth Bader Ginsburg was on the bench, the court did not strike down a similar law in California, also in a 5-4 ruling. Just a few months later, it was a whole new ball game with President Donald Trump’s new appointee on the SCOTUS.
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