Drive-In Churches and the Constitution: Balancing the Religious Belief in Corporate Worship and Health Concerns Related to COVID-19

Almost every religious institution closed its doors in mid-March in response to requests and then order from various levels of government in the name of slowing or stopping the spread of COVID-19. Many religious institutions responded to the shutdowns with ingenuity by finding ways to meet and still remain in compliance with the CDC’s recommendations of physical distancing and limits on meeting sizes. One of those solutions – drive-in services – became the target of growing government restrictions in parts of the country. Matt Martens and Hiram Sasser will discuss what is a drive-in religious service and the constitutionality of prohibiting such services during the current pandemic. Featuring: -- Matthew T. Martens, Partner, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP-- Hiram Sasser, Executive General Counsel, First Liberty Institute