First Liberty Institute and the law firm Mayer Brown LLP sent a letter to the Wasatch County (UT) School District demanding first grade teacher Taryn Israelson be allowed to post a voluntary prayer support chain in the school’s faculty lounge. After she received approval from the Human Resources manager for the prayer chain, the principal at J.R. Smith Elementary told her it must be removed.
Jonathan Mitchell of Mitchell Law LLP argued before the Court of Appeals for the Third District of Texas today on behalf of Judge Dianne Hensley, who received a reprimand from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct for recusing herself from performing same-sex weddings. In June 2024, the Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of Judge Dianne Hensley, sending the case back to the lower court to review the merits of her claim that the SCJC violated her sincerely held religious beliefs by issuing the reprimand. First Liberty Institute is co-counsel in the case.
Yesterday, former First Liberty Institute client and U.S. Navy SEAL Phil Mendes participated in the inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump’s Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias in the federal government.
The Supreme Court of the United States heard oral argument today in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case where Maryland parents have asked the Court to restore their right to opt their children out of gender ideology lessons. The following statement may be attributed to Kelly Shackelford, President, CEO, and Chief Counsel to First Liberty Institute:
First Liberty Institute sent a letter to Ventura, California Mayor Dr. Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios after she interrupted and ordered First Liberty client Tarin Swain to stop praying during public comment at a recent city council meeting. Swain was booed by the crowd and the mayor interrupted her several times. The letter demands the mayor apologize to Swain, repeal any policy that prohibits prayer, and provide written assurance that the City Council will allow speakers at the podium to engage in prayer.
Several organizations, including the Manhattan Institute, Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, the Human Rights Defense Center, law school clinics from Northwestern, Harvard, and others filed 11 “friend-of-the court” briefs urging the Supreme Court of the United States to correct a misused precedent that prevents citizens from challenging the constitutionality of local ordinances after a previous conviction.
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