Wednesday, January 27, 2016

4th Circuit Hears Oral Arguments On County Commissioners' Invocation Policy

The U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals today heard oral arguments (audio of full arguments) in Lund v. Rowan County, North Carolina, (Docket No. 15-1591). In the case, a North Carolina federal district court held that a county Board of Commissioners' invocation policy is not constitutionally permissible under the Supreme Court's Town of Greece decision when sectarian invocations are delivered by the county commissioners themselves rather than invited clergy and other prayer-givers. The district court also found the county's practice unconstitutionally coercive. (See prior posting.) WBTV reports on today's arguments.