Outrage over “No Church Order” case goes national 

Breitbart covers our Bickford v. Bradeen case

Breitbart News put our case defending Emily Bickford and her daughter, Ava, on the front page this weekend, calling the situation “draconian.” It turns out the rest of the country is just as outraged as we are that a family court has barred a girl from attending church, being “exposed to the Bible,” or even associating with her Christian friends.

Emily and Ava have spent two years fighting one of the most troubling parental rights and religious freedom cases in the country. Today, they urgently need your support so Liberty Counsel can continue their legal defense and protect their constitutional rights.

Will you send a generous contribution today to help fund Emily and Ava's legal fight before the next stage of this case?

Every donation made to our legal fund today will be DOUBLED by a special Challenge Grant.

The controversy began after Ava expressed a desire to be baptized. What followed was a custody dispute that resulted in a court order giving Ava's father — an atheist — complete authority over her religious upbringing and restricting Emily from taking her daughter to church, exposing her to religious teachings, or even allowing contact with church friends. The order violates both parental rights and religious freedom protections guaranteed by the Constitution. 

For Emily and Ava, this isn’t an abstract legal debate. It’s a daily reality. A fit mother has been prohibited from taking her now 13-year-old daughter to church. A young girl who wanted to attend church and grow in her beliefs has been prevented from doing so while the legal battle continues. 

The court order reeks with hostility toward Christianity. Every time the order mentions God, the court lowercases it as “god.” The order says the “court 

is mindful of the psychological effects that could befall Ava if Mr. Bradeen were to abruptly prohibit her from attending Calvary Chapel, studying in her workbook, or discussing the church’s teachings with Ms. Bickford.” 

Yet, that’s exactly what the court did. The court order then admits “there has been no showing of harm to Ava associated with a belief system that is rooted in the Bible.”

Since December 2024, Ava has been prohibited from attending “any services, gatherings, or events associated with Calvary Chapel,” including any materials, literature, videos, or other messaging “associated with, or created or published by, Calvary Chapel.” No Christmas, Easter — NOTHING!

Ava has been prohibited from associating or communicating “with any member of Calvary Chapel.”

And the order also applies 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.”

Now, all eyes are on the Maine Supreme Court. The outcome will have implications far beyond one family. If this ruling stands, it will create a troubling precedent that affects parents’ rights to guide their children’s religious upbringing. If we lose this case before the Maine Supreme Court, we will immediately apply for relief with the U.S. Supreme Court.

However, legal battles of this magnitude are expensive. Court filings, attorney preparation, appeals, and public advocacy all require substantial resources. Emily and Ava cannot carry this burden alone.

That’s why I’m asking you to stand with them today. 

Please make your most generous contribution right now to help defend Emily and Ava’s rights, support their ongoing legal fight, and ensure their voices continue to be heard in court. 

Every gift matters. Every dollar helps. And every contribution sends a powerful message that religious freedom and parental rights are worth defending.  

Give generously and let the Challenge Grant DOUBLE your impact today!

Thank you for standing with Emily and Ava during this critical time. Please take a moment to pray today: strength for Emily, perseverance in Ava’s faith, and redemption for Ava’s father, Matthew Bradeen.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it” Proverbs 22:6 (ESV).

Mat Staver
Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel