Two San Diego court employees are suing the Superior Court because they say they have been prohibited from holding a lunch-hour Bible study in the courthouse.
The federal civil rights suit claims court officials unfairly denied the group’s request to meet in an empty courtroom or jury deliberation room.
The lawsuit says the Bible study group had met in the courthouse regularly since 2000, but in April 2006, court officials banned the meeting, saying it violated court policy.
Mindy Barlow, one of two plaintiffs in the case, said yesterday that the lawsuit isn’t about money.
Don’t they know that Bible is there for witnesses to swear on, but they’re not actually allowed to read it?
I trust they will win their suit under the “free exercise” clause. Courts have built up a body of precedent regarding the rights of employees in public schools to engage in Bible study or reading their Bibles during times they are not engaged in their actual work situations. A good attorney ought to be able to argue that by analogy, any employee of the State ought to have a like right.
What other groups ARE permitted to meet on the court’s premises?
Back to the catacombs the Romans are coming!!!