In Gateway City Church v. Newsom, (9th Cir., Feb. 12, 2021), the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a Santa Clara County, California COVID-19 Order that prohibits all indoor gatherings, including worship services. The court said in part:
The challenged ban on indoor “gatherings” ... applies equally to all indoor gatherings of any kind or type, whether public or private, religious or secular. The Directive, which appears to affect far more activities than most other jurisdictions’ health measures, does not “single out houses of worship” for worse treatment than secular activities.
Santa Clara County issued a press release announcing the decision.
