In today’s Mendham Methodist Church v. Morris County, Judge Evelyn Padin (D.N.J.) holds that a State violates the Free Exercise Clause when it excludes religious observers from otherwise available public benefits. This decision is based on recent Supreme Court cases such as Carson v. Makin (2022) and Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020). The court rejects the New Jersey Supreme Court’s decision in Freedom From Religious Foundation v. Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders (N.J. 2018), which mandated such exclusion, stating that it is inconsistent with the more recent Espinoza and Carson cases.
While this summary may oversimplify matters to some extent, it provides a good general overview. For more detailed information, please refer to the full opinion. Plaintiffs in this case are represented by Mark M. Roselli of Roselli Griegel Lozier & Lazzaro, PC.
