Oregon Supreme Court Holds in Place Stay-At-Home Order Limiting Churches Services to 25 People

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Pending judicial review, the Oregon Supreme Court held in place on May 19 Gov. Kate Brown’s stay-at-home orders that limit in-person church services to 25 people, the New York Times reported. Ten churches had filed suit, arguing that the orders placed an undue burden on houses of worship that wanted to have services with social distancing. The state appealed to the Supreme Court after Circuit Judge Matthew Shirtcliff ruled May 18 that Brown overstepped her authority in not seeking legislative approval to extend her stay-at-home orders beyond a 28-day limit.

The Supreme Court Presiding Justice Thomas Balmer gave the parties until May 22 to submit legal briefs, but did not say when the Court’s final decision would be made, the New York Times reported.

The churches filed suit early this month, after Brown said she was extending stay-at-home orders until July. Representing the churches, attorney Ray Hacke said the stay-at-home order was “an infringement on religious liberty,” the Washington Examiner reported.

Hacke said churches should be allowed to practice social distancing at services and take their own risks with COVID-19. “The governor’s orders are not required for public safety when plaintiffs can continue to utilize social distancing and safety protocols at larger gatherings involving spiritual worship,” he wrote.

In a statement pending the final outcome, Brown said she had been “using science and data” and “heeding the advice of medical experts” to guide her decisions for Oregon during the pandemic. “There are no shortcuts for us to return to life as it was before this pandemic,” Brown said. As of Friday Oregon had 3,726 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 140 related deaths.

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