Maine High Court Upholds Mother's Religious Restrictions

Maine’s highest court unanimously upheld a custody order giving the father final say over whether their 13-year-old daughter may attend Calvary Chapel or engage in related religious activities, a ruling that the mother’s supporters call a violation of religious freedom. The decision, which affirmed a Cumberland County District Court order, centers on concerns that exposure to certain church teachings caused the child anxiety and emotional distress, rather than a ruling against Christianity itself. The case has drawn involvement from Liberty Counsel, which argues the ruling infringes the mother’s First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and plans to seek review by the U.S. Supreme Court. The judges noted that the harm alleged related to how messages about religion were conveyed between parents, not to hostility toward the mother’s faith. The dispute has now moved toward possible Supreme Court consideration, with the mother’s side seeking to challenge the decision at the highest level. The evolving case underscores tensions between parental rights, religious upbringing, and the state’s role in protecting a child’s wellbeing.