Court Allows Challenges To NJ Law On Sale of Headstones To Proceed

In Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark v. Christie, (D NJ, April 29, 2016), a New Jersey federal district court refused to dismiss some of the challenges by the Catholic Archdiocese to a New Jersey statute making it illegal for religious groups that operate cemeteries to also sell monuments or private  mausoleums.  The court held that, even though the statute is subject only to rational-basis review, it is premature to dismiss claims that the law violates the equal protection and due process clauses of the U.S. Constitution.  The court did however dismiss plaintiffs' contracts clause and privileges or immunities clause challenges. The statute was enacted last year (see prior posting) after the Archdiocese went into competition with for-profit monument makers. New Jersey Law Journal reports on the decision. [Thanks to Steven H. Sholk for the lead.]