In a 5-4 ruling, the US Supreme Court sided with religious organizations in a dispute over COVID-19 restrictions put in place by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo limiting the number of people attending religious services.
The case is the latest pitting religious groups against city and state officials seeking to stop the spread of COVID-19, and it highlights the impact of Justice Amy Coney Barrett on the Court. The decision comes as coronavirus cases surge across the country.
In the late-night decision, Barrett sided with her conservative colleagues in the dispute, while Chief Justice John Roberts joined the three liberal justices in dissent. The ruling underscores Barrett’s impact on the bench, reflecting the Court’s rightward shift.
Last spring and summer, before the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Court split 5-4 on similar cases out of California and Nevada, with Roberts and the liberals in the majority siding against houses of worship. Barrett was confirmed in October to take Ginsburg’s seat.
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