Rejected Again — Supreme Court Refuses to Hear This Church’s Case Against Nevada’s COVID-19 Restrictions

Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley church in Nevada asked the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down the state’s COVID-19 restrictions on church attendance in 2020, but the court refused. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, however, later granted Calvary Chapel’s request and struck down the governor’s restrictions against churches.

Alliance Defending Freedom, which represents the church, released a video of a crowded casino in Nevada at the same time churches faced severe restrictions. Justice Neil Gorsuch, who dissented along with the other conservative justices, wrote that “there is no world in which the Constitution permits Nevada to favor Caesars Palace over Calvary Chapel.”

Calvary Chapel again asked the high court to hear its case even after the governor raised church gatherings from 50 to 250 people, because it believes the state is still treating churches differently.

The Christian Post reported that the Supreme Court rejected Calvary Chapel’s request for the second time:

In a brief order released Monday without comment, the Supreme Court denied the petition of Calvary Chapel, even though the church had the backing of 19 attorneys general.

In its unsuccessful brief (20-page PDF) to the court, Calvary Chapel made the following arguments: that its petition to the court isn’t moot and “presents an issue of great importance; that the issue has divided lower courts; that the dispute doesn’t require an evidentiary hearing before the court acts; and that time is of the essence.

“Every day that passes without a definitive ruling from this Court will result in additional First Amendment.” violations.