Federal Judge Grants Crucial Exemption For Hobby Lobby

on July 19, 2013

In some exciting news today, a federal judge has issued a temporary injunction, exempting Hobby Lobby, a private Christian business, from the consequences of the HHS contraception and abortifacient mandate.

This victory comes less than a month after a landmark decision by the full 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled that Hobby Lobby can exercise religion under the First Amendment and is likely to win its case against the mandate.

Reaction from the Becket Fund:

“The tide has turned against the HHS mandate,” said Kyle Duncan, General Counsel with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and lead attorney for Hobby Lobby.

In an opinion read from the bench, the court said, “There is a substantial public interest in ensuring that no individual or corporation has their legs cut out from under them while these difficult issues are resolved.”

This is a major victory for not only Hobby Lobby, but the religious liberty of all for-profit businesses.

There are now 63 separate lawsuits challenging the HHS mandate. The Becket Fund led the charge against the unconstitutional HHS mandate. The Becket Fund currently represents: Hobby LobbyWheaton CollegeEast Texas Baptist UniversityHouston Baptist UniversityColorado Christian University, the Eternal Word Television NetworkAve Maria University, and Belmont Abbey College.

From LifeNews:

Before today’s decision, Kristina Arriaga Executive Director of the pro-life legal group The Becket Fund, told LifeNews: “Hobby Lobby is the largest business to challenge the HHS Mandate in court.  And the 10th Circuit decision was the result of the rare opportunity to present the case directly to the full court instead of a smaller panel and it represents the first definitive appellate ruling against the mandate,” Arriaga said. “And, while the 10th Circuit’s decision helped spare Hobby Lobby from exposure to tremendous government fines scheduled to begin just days after the court ruled, its opinion is an true victory for the many other religious business owners who find themselves facing the same “Hobson’s choice”– as the Court of Appeals called it – as Hobby Lobby’s Green family; that is, follow the law or follow your conscience.”

Arriaga said the battle today is be an even greater milestone in this fight because, “unless the government has a sudden change of heart – which is unlikely – the U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately have to decide this case.”

  1. Comment by Joshua Greenwood on June 30, 2014 at 3:01 pm

    Good stuff! We’re celebrating over here at ChurchFreedom.org! Keep up the good reporting sister Marjorie.

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