by Jorge Gomez • 2 minutes
First Liberty received a tremendous outpouring of support in our pending U.S. Supreme Court case involving Gabriel Olivier, an evangelist who was banned from sharing his faith in a public park. Gabe went to court to seek relief, but his case was dismissed, which effectively denied him of the legal right to fight for his religious freedom.
As the nation’s highest court deliberates whether to hear this important case, we’re happy to announce that a diverse coalition filed 11 friend-of-the-court briefs supporting our client. This includes:
As a point of comparison, First Liberty received 10 or more supporting briefs in each of our major Supreme Court victories in recent years: 14 in our unanimous win for Faithful Carrier Gerald Groff, 11 in the Treat Children Fairly case and 10 in the Coach Kennedy case.
This broad showing of support shows the importance of Gabriel’s case, which presents a tremendous opportunity to protect the right of every American to challenge injustices—including violations of their religious freedom.
“We are grateful for the outpouring of support for our client,” said Kelly Shackelford, President, CEO and Chief Counsel for First Liberty. “No one in America should be denied the opportunity to argue for their constitutional rights.”
“We are grateful for the support from these reputable organizations who reject the injustice that has denied our client to right to present his constitutional rights in court,” added Nate Kellum, Senior Counsel for First Liberty. “Our client is hopeful that the Supreme Court will intervene and clarify the application of a widely misused precedent.”
Kellum explains why the legal issues in this case matter to every American and why the Supreme Court should take it up. Watch below:
A Case that Impacts the Civil Rights of All Americans
Gabe is an evangelical Christian who wants to share his faith with others. He frequently shares the Gospel at public events, hoping to start conversations and reach as many people as possible. But the City of Brandon, Mississippi fined him under an unconstitutional ordinance that bans Gabe from communicating his religious beliefs to others in a city park.
Gabe challenged the ordinance in federal court. But the judge dismissed his claim, without even considering the merits of it. In short, Gabe ended up in a legal limbo where he has no path to challenge the ordinance that keeps him from sharing his faith. He was denied his day in court, because of a misinterpretation of a precedent that needs to be corrected.
First Liberty asked the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case. We argue that Americans who have had their religious freedom and First Amendment rights violated should be able to have their day in court.
Religious speech in a public place is heavily guarded by the First Amendment, which clearly grants all Americans the right to express their point of view, religious or secular, perhaps no more so than on a public sidewalk.
As a nation built on religious freedom, talking about your faith to people in a public park should not be prohibited. And no American should be arrested or charged for doing so. But if that were to happen—as it did with Gabe—you should be able to go to court and plead your case.
Religious liberty becomes meaningless if Americans can’t go to court to seek relief when that freedom is violated. If you can’t challenge a violation of your rights or bring your case before a court, are you truly and fully free to exercise your religion?
Please continue to pray for the Supreme Court justices as they deliberate. The stakes in this case couldn’t be any higher. With this case, the nation’s highest court can strengthen protections for religious freedom, free speech and due process—ensuring that all Americans are able to have their day in court if their civil rights are trampled.
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