LC Will Ask U.S. Supreme Court To Hear “No Church” Case

The Maine Supreme Court unanimously upheld a custody order prohibiting Emily Bickford from taking her 13-year-old daughter to church, religious organization or event, or to “expose” her to any “religious philosophy or the Bible in general.”

“This opinion rejects the First Amendment right of a fit parent to raise her child consistent with her Christian faith. This opinion goes against other state court decisions involving custody in the context of religious free exercise rights and ignores precedent from the U.S. Supreme Court. We will ask the High Court to take this case and overrule the decision,” said Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. Staver argued the case for Emily Bickford before the Maine Supreme Court.

The lower court concluded that Emily is a fit parent and “there has been no showing of harm to Ava associated with a belief system that is rooted in the Bible.” Instead, the lower court raised concern about the Christian teachings of Heaven, Hell, eternal salvation, angels, demons, and teaching the Bible “verse by verse, chapter by chapter.” These beliefs represent mainstream Christianity.

The lower court order gives sole authority to Matthew Bradeen to prohibit Emily from taking her daughter to “any services, gatherings, or events associated with Calvary Chapel; whether and what material, literature, video, or other messaging associated with, or created or published by, Calvary Chapel she reviews; and whether she associates or communicates with any member of Calvary Chapel other than Ms. Bickford. As to Ava's participation in any other church or religious organization, or Ava’s exposure to the teachings of any religious philosophy or of the Bible in general” Bradeen again has sole authority. Since December 2014, Bradeen has denied every request.

Every time God is mentioned in the court order, the judge spells it with lower case (god), which is what Bradeen also did in his complaint. The hostility toward Christianity is obvious and unconstitutional.


   

Liberty Counsel seeks a reversal of this unlawful custody order and restoration of the mother’s First Amendment right to pass on her religious beliefs to her child.

Under the U.S. Constitution, federal law, and numerous Supreme Court precedents, unmarried parents both have the right to instill their religious beliefs into their children during their respective custodial time. In a brief to the Maine Supreme Court, Liberty Counsel stated that legal precedents protect a parent’s custodial rights even when one parent’s religious beliefs are in opposition to the other parent, or even in opposition to the American mainstream. Here, where Bickford is taking her daughter to a church that holds mainstream biblical views, the court’s total prohibition on her religious decision-making authority giving the father total veto power is a direct infringement on her right to direct the religious upbringing of her child.

Essentially, the lower court impermissibly entered the “private realm of family life” and “punished” Bickford for her biblical beliefs, wrote Liberty Counsel.

“Constitutionally, American courts are forbidden from interfering with religious freedoms or to take steps preferring one religion over another,” reads the brief.

According to the custody order, issued by Maine District Judge Jennifer Nofsinger, the father took issue with his daughter attending Calvary Chapel Church in Portland because it teaches the Bible “verse by verse, chapter by chapter,” including teaching on the Bible’s descriptions of hell, demons, and spiritual warfare. He hired California sociology professor, Dr. Janja Lalich, an “expert on cults,” to help convince Judge Nofsinger to stop his daughter attending this church. Dr. Lalich told the judge that cults usually have a charismatic, authoritarian leader who teaches about a “transcendent belief system” that offers answers, and “promises some sort of salvation.” She further testified that she had “studied” Calvary Chapel Church and found that the church’s pastor was a “charismatic” speaker, spoke “authoritatively” in his messages, and that he asserted his messages were objective truth. Because of this, Dr. Lalich perceived the church to be a “cultic” organization.” Despite not being a psychologist, Dr. Lalich testified it was “evident” that the church posed a potential for psychological harm to the girl.


PRESS RELEASES:

LC Will Ask U.S. Supreme Court To Hear “No Church” Case

Maine Supreme Court To Hear Religious Freedom Case



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Mat Staver and Emily Bickford on Victory News


Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel explores a pivotal legal case with his client Emily Bickford, defending religious liberty for her daughter. Originally aired September 9, 2026.


Emily Bickford on LifeSiteNews

Emily Bickford shares her story with John-Henry Westen on LifeSiteNews about the court order that bans her from taking her daughter to church or other religious events.


Banned From Church


Imagine being told you cannot take your own child to church! That’s exactly what happened to Emily Bickford and her 12-year-old daughter. And it’s all because of a very egregious court order. And if this ruling stands, it will set a dangerous precedent for all future child custody cases, allowing non-believers to block fit parents from raising their children according to their Christian beliefs. Emily shares more of her story on this episode. Originally premiered Jan 25, 2026 on GoodLife45.

Court Bans Mom From Bringing Daughter to Church


Mat Staver and Emily Bickford join Debbie Kraulidis to discuss why a Maine District Court has banned Emily from taking her daughter to church, and how Liberty Counsel is defending her rights to do so.


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