Freedom Updates
Advocates in Action
PRESS RELEASE | CALIFORNIA FINES CHURCH $1.2 MILLION FOR WORSHIP; NOW THE SUPREME COURT MUST DECIDE IF THE CONSTITUTION STILL STANDS
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025
CONTACT: NICOLE VELASCO
MEDIA@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
Washington D.C. — Advocates for Faith & Freedom, in partnership with the American Center for Law & Justice, has filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari asking the United States Supreme Court to overturn more than $1.2 million in fines imposed on Calvary Chapel San Jose and Pastor Mike McClure for the simple act of gathering to worship.
This case stands as one of the clearest examples of government overreach against a church in modern American history.
During COVID, California forced churches to close, restrict worship, and enforce mandates that violated Calvary Chapel’s sincerely held beliefs. At the very same time, the state allowed widespread exemptions for secular operations such as restaurants, athletic programs, and government offices.
Calvary Chapel chose obedience to Scripture over obedience to shifting political orders. The county retaliated with rapidly escalating fines that soared to $5,000 per day, ultimately exceeding $1.2 million, along with coercive demands for sworn compliance with orders later deemed unconstitutional.
In addition to the $1,228,700 judgment, Santa Clara County is seeking $1,098,244 in attorneys’ fees and $45,753 in costs, which remain stayed pending appeal. If imposed, the total financial burden on Calvary Chapel would exceed $2.37 million – a staggering sum designed to punish a church for worshipping God during a crisis.
The petition emphasizes that the Supreme Court has already ruled in Tandon v. Newsom that government cannot treat religious gatherings worse than comparable secular activities. California ignored that mandate and continued to target churches.
“Government officials may not weaponize emergencies to suspend the First Amendment,” said Erin Mersino, Vice President and Chief of Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation for Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “California imposed some of the most aggressive restrictions on churches in the country, and this case is about ensuring the government never does this again.”
The petition asks the Supreme Court to resolve four pressing constitutional issues:
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Whether government may dictate the internal practices of worship.
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Whether restrictions with secular exemptions must face strict scrutiny.
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Whether massive financial penalties for worship violate the First Amendment.
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Whether the Excessive Fines Clause protects churches from multi-million-dollar punishment.
“Freedom means nothing if the government can fine churches into submission,” said Joel Oster, Vice President and Chief of Trial Litigation for Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “If local officials can impose crushing penalties until churches surrender their constitutional rights, then those rights do not exist in any meaningful way.”
Although the pandemic has ended, the precedent remains. Without Supreme Court intervention, state and local officials will be free to target churches during any future emergency and punish ministries for simply remaining faithful.
Calvary Chapel opened its doors because God commanded them to gather. Now the Supreme Court must decide whether the government has the authority to punish a church for obedience to God.
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Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.
PRESS RELEASE | SUPREME COURT FORCES RECONSIDERATION OF NEW YORK’S DISCRIMINATORY VACCINE LAW IN LANDMARK RELIGIOUS LIBERTY CASE
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2025
CONTACT: NICOLE VELASCO
MEDIA@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
Washington D.C. — The Supreme Court has reversed the lower court’s decision that fined petitioners for living out their religious beliefs. The case returns to the lower court to reevaluate New York’s law under strengthened protections for religious believers, making clear that the government may not punish religious conviction while granting exemptions for secular purposes.
At the center of Miller v. McDonald are Amish families who have lived peacefully, faithfully, and separately from modern society for generations. New York eliminated its long-standing religious exemption to its school vaccination law and then openly mocked those who objected based on sincere religious convictions. Lawmakers referred to religious beliefs as “trash,” “fake,” and “heresy,” while Governor Kathy Hochul told a congregation that people with religious objections to vaccination “are not listening to God” and that their concerns are “not truth.”
Despite wiping out all religious exemptions, New York still allows secular medical exemptions and does not require teachers, staff, or other adults in the schools to be vaccinated. The result is a discriminatory law that targets children of faith while ignoring comparable secular risks. The Amish petitioners have already been hit with $118,000 in fines simply for obeying their conscience and honoring God.
Advocates for Faith & Freedom filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to intervene and to restore the Free Exercise Clause to its rightful place at the heart of the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court’s action forces the lower court to reevaluate New York’s law under strengthened protections for religious believers, making clear that the government may not punish religious conviction while granting exemptions for secular purposes.
“Religious liberty is America’s first freedom because it safeguards every person’s right to honor God without fear of government coercion,” said Erin Mersino, Vice President and Chief of Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation at Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “The Supreme Court’s action is an important step toward stopping New York from penalizing the Amish community for their faith with crippling fines.”
This remand marks a pivotal moment in the national fight for religious liberty and has the potential to shape constitutional protections for generations to come. Advocates for Faith & Freedom will continue standing with the Amish families and every American who refuses to surrender their God-given freedoms to state power.
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Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.
PRESS RELEASE | CALVARY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY WINS MAJOR VICTORY: STATE WITHDRAWS ALL OSHA CITATIONS AFTER ILLEGAL WARRANT RAID ON CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
ADVOCATES FOR FAITH & FREEDOM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 2025
CONTACT: NICOLE VELASCO
MEDIA@FAITH-FREEDOM.COM
San Jose, CA – In a landmark victory for religious freedom and parental rights, Calvary Chapel of San Jose (CCSJ) and Calvary Christian Academy (CCA) have been cleared of every citation originally brought by the California Division of Occupational Safety & Health (Cal/OSHA). The final Order by the California Occupational Safety & Health Appeals Board (OSHAB) affirms:
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Every citation issued–totaling 15 items and originally carrying $67,330 in penalties–was withdrawn by the Division.
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Final penalties: $0.
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No finding of wrongdoing. The church and school admitted no fault whatsoever, and this resolution cannot be used against them in any future matter.
This victory comes after a protracted campaign of relentless government over-reach. In late 2020 and early 2021, Cal/OSHA leveraged a search warrant—based on what courts later called an affidavit “utterly devoid of detail”—to inspect the Academy after mask-related complaints. That warrant was challenged by the legal team at Advocates for Faith & Freedom, which exposed the agency’s failure to follow due-process, properly verify allegations, or respect constitutional protections.
“This is a complete victory, not only for Calvary Christian Academy, but for every church and Christian school in California,” said Joel Oster, Vice President and Chief of Trial Litigation for Advocates for Faith & Freedom. “The State tried to use OSHA as a weapon to intimidate a religious institution. They failed. And they were forced to walk away from their own claims.”
Attorney Nicolai Cocis added: “We commend the court for upholding the constitutional rights of Calvary Chapel San Jose and Calvary Christian Academy. This ruling underscores the importance of due process and the protection of religious freedoms against unwarranted governmental overreach.”
This outcome carries significant implications. Religious liberty is strengthened, demonstrating that faith-based institutions cannot be intimidated by bureaucratic pressure disguised as public-health enforcement. Parental rights are protected, as the case began with mask mandates being weaponized against children and churches, yet the resolution makes clear that government cannot trample constitutional protections under the guise of regulation. Finally, an important precedent is reinforced: government agencies must follow the law, adhere to due process, and cannot rely on thin affidavits, unchecked authority, or discriminatory targeting of religious communities.
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Advocates for Faith & Freedom is a non-profit law firm dedicated to protecting constitutional and religious liberty in the courts. Our mission is to engage in cases that will uphold our religious liberty and America’s heritage and to educate Americans about our fundamental constitutional rights.