Maine’s high court rules father can restrict daughter’s church attendance
The ruling says the restriction serves the child’s best interests after evidence that church messages caused anxiety and strained her relationship with her father.
- On Tuesday, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court unanimously upheld a lower court's order blocking Emily Bickford from bringing her 13-year-old daughter to religious services or exposing her to Biblical teaching, siding with father Matthew Bradeen.
- The court found the mother's inability to co-parent on religious matters necessitated granting Bradeen authority, citing Pastor Travis Carey's prayer that disparaged him as 'in need of salvation' and an 'attack on God' during a service.
- Bradeen argued the church created a 'dangerous and harmful environment' that caused his daughter anxiety, including panic attacks following teachings on the rapture; the court agreed some language was 'psychologically damaging the child' due to how it characterized her father.
- Bickford's legal team, Liberty Counsel, plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing the ruling violates her First Amendment rights through 'open hostility' toward religious beliefs; she has 90 days to file.
- As a 'Christian ministry' focused on religious freedom, Liberty Counsel has handled other major cases, including a 2022 Supreme Court victory in Boston. The group's involvement underscores the case's significance in ongoing debates over parental rights.
54 Articles
54 Articles
Court Forbids Mom to Take Daughter, 13, to Normal Christian Church - Used the Word 'Cult' in Official Docs
The Maine Supreme Court this week upheld a lower court ruling preventing a mother from taking her 13-year-old daughter to a church it referred to as a “cult.” The decision […]
Mother Appeals To Supreme Court After Being Barred From Taking Her Daughter To Calvary Chapels, Exposing Her To The Bible - Harbinger's Daily
In December 2024, the Portland District Court ruled that Ava’s father, Matthew Bradeen, would have full control over all religious attendances, including “the right to make final decisions regarding [the daughter’s] participation in other churches and religious organizations.” The court ruled that there had been “no showing of harm to [the child]…
Court Forbids Mom to Take Daughter, 13, to Normal Christian Church – Used the Word ‘Cult’ in Official Docs * The Gateway Pundit * by Randy DeSoto, The Western Journal
The Maine Supreme Court this week upheld a lower court ruling preventing a mother from taking her 13-year-old daughter to a church it referred to as a "cult." The decision could set a bad precedent for other jurisdictions to grab onto nationwide.
Court Demands Christian Mom Stop Taking Daughter To Church In Custody Dispute
Watch Louder with Crowder every weekday at 11:00 AM Eastern, only on Rumble Premium!Check out our Election 2026 Dashboard to keep track ot the upcoming midterms!Since when does the court have the power to dictate who is and is not allowed to attend church? Last time I checked, there was this little thing called the “First Amendment." This is why it is bizarre and possibly unconstitutional that a court has demanded a Christian mom cease taking he…
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