Scope: Federal
Branch: Judicial
Severity: Green
Date occurred: September 14, 2026
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a 156-page decision in Cedar Park Assembly of God of Kirkland, Washington v. Kuderer, a challenge to the constitutionality of a Washington state statute brought by a religious organization. Numerous amici participated, including the ACLU of Washington, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Christian Legal Society.
Constitutional basis: Article III appellate review of a state statute's constitutionality under the First Amendment, the courts' ordinary and long-settled function.