Court Says Cross on County Seal Is Unconstitutional

In Davies v. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, (CD CA, April 6, 2016), a California federal district court granted a permanent injunction requiring removal of a cross from the Los Angeles County Seal.  Under threat of a lawsuit in 2004, the County redesigned its Seal replacing a cross that was on it with a depiction of the San Gabriel Mission. Subsequently the San Gabriel Mission added a cross on its building and the County Board voted to add the cross to the Mission's depiction on the Seal. The district court held that the addition of the cross violates both the Establishment Clause and the California Constitution's No Aid clause. Los Angeles Times reports on the decision.