The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. (Photo credit: Sanfranman59/Wikipedia)
(CN) A Ninth Circuit panel Friday considered whether California’s Covid-19 restrictions banning indoor worship services at churches are constitutional, or, if a trio of federal judges should revise the restrictions to allow reduced indoor capacity like what grocery stores are complying with to keep their doors open.
“If Costco is open, your honor, churches need to be open,” attorney Charles LiMandri, representing South Bay United Pentecostal Church told U.S. Circuit Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw during the virtual hearing.
LiMandri responded to the Clinton appointee’s question regarding what entities churches should be compared to for purposes of state operational restrictions during the pandemic by suggesting places of worship are essential and should be treated as such.