Image

Court Grants Church Compensation in Kentucky Lockdown Lawsuit Win

"A tenacious church in Kentucky has won a three-year lockdown lawsuit, backing claims State-enforced church closures during 2020 were an abuse of fundamental rights."

A tenacious church in Kentucky has won a three-year lockdown lawsuit, backing claims State-enforced church closures during 2020 were an abuse of fundamental rights.

Three circuit judges from the Sixth Court of Appeals, ruled in favour of Theodore Roberts, Randall Daniel, and Sally O’boyle, ‘affirming’ a district court’s indirect recognition that Governor Andrew Beshear’s COVID-19 fiats were a blatant violation of their rights.

At the district court level, Bashear’s government was ordered to pay legal fees associated with Roberts, Daniels, and O’boyle’s defence.

The three attended an in-person Easter service on April 12, 2020.

Roberts, Daniel, and O’boyle were reprimanded, then told they would face criminal charges for any further ‘violations of [Bashear’s] prohibition on mass gatherings.’

According to a recount in the new seven-page ruling, undeterred, the congregants challenged Bashear’s threats.

They sued the Democrat Governor, the county attorney, and Health secretary, to stop further prosecution, arguing that “restrictions on religious gatherings, and interstate travel violated the U.S. Constitution.”

The district court agreed, and put in place preliminary injunctions protecting Roberts, Daniel and O’boyle.

In the lengthy lawsuit’s conclusion, the Sixth Court judges applauded the injunctions against government overreach.

They also inferred the district court didn’t go far enough, stating, “While the district court refused to halt enforcement of the restrictions on religious gatherings [in 2020], the 6th court disagreed.

“It enjoined the Governor and the other defendants from prohibiting services at Maryville Baptist Church.”

Governor Beshear was ordered to cover the USD $272,142.50 in legal fees, accrued by the Maryville Baptist trio’s court challenge to COVID-19 overreach.

Not satisfied, the Democrat Governor challenged the ruling, arguing his administration shouldn’t have to pay [his victims’] legal costs.

Their argument, Beshear pleaded, was ‘moot’ because his administration had changed course after the injunctions, and ‘the Kentucky legislature had [by then] limited the Governor’s authority to issue similar COVID-19 orders.’

Page 7’s scathing review of the Governor’s actions, sees the three sixth circuit judges declare his defence to be problematic:

“He ignores evidence that he “actively enforced” the orders. He does not grapple with the possibility that he had some authority over prosecutions.”

The judges continued, “The Governor cites nothing for the idea that a plaintiff may prevail against a rule’s enforcer, but not its promulgator. That would be an odd line to draw, as we tend to make officials responsible for their own policies.”

Ergo, they declared, “claims against an official in his official capacity amount to claims against the State, including fee awards.”

Desperate to redeem the optics, Bashear tried to claim, the defendant’s lawyers ‘overcharged,’ ‘billed for excessive hours, and used exorbitant rates.’

Further embarrassing the Governor – who has in the past justified his executive orders as acting in the interests of “the greater good” – the Sixth Court disagreed.

The judges defended the district court, reminding Beshear of the court’s ‘expertise, and superior understanding of litigation,’ in deciding how much, and to whom.

Answering Bashear’s accusations of fraud, the three Sixth Court judges ruled, “This case offers no red flags of abuse.”

Acknowledging the ‘possibility of mootness,’ and questions over ‘prevailing party status’ (who gets to pay legal costs), they then affirmed the original fee amount.

During government totalitarian responses to COVID-19, the large Maryville Baptist community in Bullitt County, Kentucky refused to close its doors.

Representing the church, Christ Wiest, called the win a ‘thumping.’

Liberty Counsel, who also took the civil case on board, responded in 2021 to the 2020 victory, saying, “Governor Andy Beshear has finally been permanently quarantined by the courts from returning to his unconstitutional restrictions on churches. The governor must now pay for his abusive and discriminatory actions toward Maryville Baptist Church.” 

Pre-empting the federal court outcome in February 2023, Liberty Counsel founder, Mat Staver added, “Governor Andy Beshear may not violate the First Amendment without any consequences. The courts blocked the governor’s unconstitutional restrictions on churches and places of worship.”

As such, he alluded, Maryville Baptist Church deserves compensation.

Hear! Hear!

Special Request:

For nearly eight years, we've highlighted issues ignored by mainstream media and resisted globalist ideologies eroding Western civilization. We've done this joyfully, without paywalls, despite personal costs to our team. Your support has kept us going, but operating costs exceed donations, forcing us to use ads. We’d love to ditch them, so we’re asking for your help. If you value our work, please consider supporting us via Stripe or PayPal. Every bit helps us keep fighting for our kids’ future. Thank you!

What's New?

Use the blue arrows at the bottom to scroll through the latest.
Is Political Cowardice Behind the Church Failing Fr. Calvin Robinson?

Is Political Cowardice Behind the Church Failing Fr. Calvin Robinson?

"...many consider the cancelled conservative Christian priest to be the victim of a campaign targeting him for his political views."
By
by Rod LampardMay 17, 2025
Rewarding Vandalism, Removing the Past

Rewarding Vandalism, Removing the Past

"This response effectively rewards unlawful behaviour, sending a message that persistent defacement will be met not with enforcement, but with capitulation."
By
by Staff WriterMay 16, 2025
Fallen Means and God: Women Pastors

Fallen Means and God: Women Pastors

"Just because God can work through these fallen means does not mean we should encourage it."
By
by Matthew LittlefieldMay 16, 2025
Snubbing the Bible Is a Conflation of Church and State, Actually

Snubbing the Bible Is a Conflation of Church and State, Actually

"By refusing to swear on the Bible—and thereby rejecting the symbolic acknowledgment of his God-given limitations—the Prime Minister ironically does precisely what he claims to avoid: he conflates church and state by absorbing spiritual and moral authority into his own office."
By
by Ben DavisMay 15, 2025
Canadian Court Awards Compensation to WestJet Employee Fired Over Vaccine Mandates

Canadian Court Awards Compensation to WestJet Employee Fired Over Vaccine Mandates

"The judge ruled that WestJet did not have just cause for firing Mrs Yee, and awarded her $66,000 CAD or 11 months' backpay."
By
by Rod LampardMay 15, 2025
Apologist Wesley Huff Appears on Flagrant Podcast

Apologist Wesley Huff Appears on Flagrant Podcast

"As we've noted before, there is a cultural shift underway, and the Western world may just be ripe for revival."
By
by Staff WriterMay 14, 2025
Operation Sanctuary: Australia’s Nuclear Shield in a Post-Apocalyptic World

Operation Sanctuary: Australia’s Nuclear Shield in a Post-Apocalyptic World

"For Australia, the nuclear path is not just a strategic choice but a moral necessity, ensuring that we remain a beacon of hope in a world reduced to ashes," writes Michael MacConnell.
By
by Michael MacConnellMay 14, 2025
Called to Be Faithful, Not Famous: Why Celebrity Is a Poor Ministry Model

Called to Be Faithful, Not Famous: Why Celebrity Is a Poor Ministry Model

"We should want as many ears as possible to hear the truth, but we shouldn’t fall into the snare of thinking our effectiveness is proportionate to how many people know our name."
By
by Ben DavisMay 14, 2025

Image

Support

If you value our work and would like to support us, you can do so by visiting our support page. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Visit our search page.

Copyright © 2025, Caldron Pool

Permissions

Everything published at Caldron Pool is protected by copyright and cannot be used and/or duplicated without prior written permission. Links and excerpts with full attribution are permitted. Published articles represent the opinions of the author and may not reflect the views of all contributors at Caldron Pool.

Caldron Pool does not condone the use of violence, threats, or intimidation for political or religious purposes. We strongly advocate for peaceful, respectful, and free communication and open debate without fear of reprisal or punishment.