Churches Sue Over North Carolina COVID-19 Order

Two churches and an organization representing a number of churches filed suit yesterday in a North Carolina federal district court seeking to enjoin enforcement of  North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper's COVID-19 Order banning indoor religious worship services comprised of more than ten people. The complaint (full text) in Berean Baptist Church v. Cooper, (ED NC, filed 5/14/2020), alleges that the governor's orders are unconstitutional:

because they treat religious gatherings less favorably than similar secular gatherings, virtually banning religious assembly, are not narrowly tailored, and do not permit less restrictive means to achieve the government’s interest without burdening Plaintiffs’ rights as guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment.

Plaintiffs also filed a Memorandum in Support of their motion for a TRO (full text). WSOC TV reports on the lawsuit.