Press Release

This week: 13 States & District of Columbia force Little Sisters of the Poor back to court California Attorney General Becerra asks judge to take away ministries’ religious protections

Media Contact

Ryan Colby 202-349-7219 media@becketlaw.org

Additional Information

WASHINGTON – The Little Sisters of the Poor will be in court today to ask for protection from a lawsuit by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra threatening their religious ministry. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will hear arguments in California v. Little Sisters of the Poor and decide if California, 12 other states and the District of Columbia can force Catholic nuns to provide services such as the week-after pill in their health care plan in violation of their faith. In 2017, following an Executive Order, a five-year legal battle resulting in a Supreme Court victory, and a new HHS rule protecting religious non-profits, the Little Sisters finally received a religious exemption that applies to non-profits nationwide. Yet California immediately sued the federal government to take that exemption away. Joined now by 12 other states and the District of Columbia, Attorney General Becerra is forcing the Little Sisters back to court to defend their hard-earned religious protection.

What:
Oral Argument in California v. Little Sisters of the Poor

Who:
Becket President Mark Rienzi

When:
Today at 2:30 p.m. PST

Where:
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
95 7th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
James R. Browning U.S. Courthouse, San Francisco

Becket President Mark Rienzi will be available for comment immediately following the hearing. Join us for a statement live on Twitter @BECKETlaw.

For more information or to arrange an interview with a Becket attorney, contact Ryan Colby at media@becketlaw.org or 202-349-7219. Interviews can be arranged in English, Chinese, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.