Press Releases

PIERRE, South Dakota – States nationwide are wrestling with how to preserve fairness and safety in women’s sports in the face of challenges from males who wish to compete as females. In three of those states, the Pacific Justice Institute-Center for … Read More

Washington, DC—This evening, the United States Supreme Court granted Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) emergency relief to five churches challenging Santa Clara County’s public health orders which ban indoor church services. Up until this evening, the San Francisco Bay Area county … Read More

SALEM, Ore. – The Pacific Justice Institute-Center for Public Policy (PJI) is taking a stand in multiple states to help ensure fairness for girls there who compete in interscholastic sports. PJI staff attorney Ray Hacke has been invited to testify … Read More

San Jose, CA – Federal District Court Judge Edward Davila granted in part an emergency motion filed by five churches seeking a stay against Governor Gavin Newsom and Santa Clara County’s Public Health Officer, Sara Cody.  The churches brought suit challenging the … Read More

SALEM, Ore. – Churches across Oregon will no longer face civil or criminal penalties for hosting gatherings that exceed numerical restrictions aimed at limiting the spread of COVID-19. On Dec. 18, one day after Governor Kate Brown extended Oregon’s current … Read More

Los Angeles, CA—Los Angeles County issued a new stay-at-home order taking effect today that clearly protects faith-based services from being shut down. The County’s Department of Public Health once again prohibits all public and private gatherings and events with individuals … Read More

San Jose, CA— On Wednesday night, the United States Supreme Court in a 5-to-4 decision granted an emergency restraining order of New York Governor’s recent mandate severely limiting religious gatherings.  Using a color tier system, the Governor’s order placed houses … Read More

Salem, OR—Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) helped enact a local ordinance that prohibits adult entertainment businesses from locating near places where children congregate.    Non-profit legal organization, PJI acted on behalf of Gateway Family Fellowship, a Church of the Nazarene, which … Read More

Salinas, CA – A federal court in the San Francisco Bay Area has determined that churches do not contribute to a vibrant and fun atmosphere and therefore may be excluded from Salinas’ downtown area.   A church’s building use was … Read More

Benton County, WA – Two churches in Washington State, one in Benton County and the other in King County, filed a lawsuit today in Benton County Superior Court to challenge the unequal treatment of churches by Gov. Jay Inslee and state … Read More