Thai Meditation Association of Alabama v. City of Mobile
Description: Officials in Mobile, Alabama, have refused to allow the Thai Meditation Association to establish a meditation center in a quiet part of town, robbing the religious group of the peaceful environment that it needs.
11th Circuit protects religious minorities from government discrimination
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy John Bursch regarding the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit’s decision in Thai Meditation Association of Alabama v. City of Mobile, which upheld the legally and constitutionally protected freedoms of a religious minority group to practice its faith without government discrimination or hostility:
“In America, religious liberty guarantees people of all faiths the freedom to practice and live out their beliefs as their tradition teaches. This constitutionally protected freedom is essential for religious minority groups—including those who have faced historic persecution and discrimination throughout the world, like those of the Jewish faith who we represented in a brief filed with the court. Federal law also provides critical religious exercise protections in the land use and zoning context to ensure that government officials can’t discriminate against religion in subtle ways. The 11th Circuit rightly reversed the lower court’s misguided decision, ensuring that people of all faiths have the freedom to live out their religious beliefs.”
ADF attorneys filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case on behalf of the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty.
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.
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ABOUT John Bursch
John Bursch is senior counsel and vice president of appellate advocacy with Alliance Defending Freedom. Bursch has argued 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases and more than 30 state supreme court cases since 2011, and a recent study concluded that among all frequent Supreme Court advocates who did not work for the federal government, he had the 3rd highest success rate for persuading justices to adopt his legal position. Bursch served as solicitor general for the state of Michigan from 2011-2013. He has argued multiple Michigan Supreme Court cases in eight of the last ten terms and has successfully litigated hundreds of matters nationwide, including six with at least $1 billion at stake. As part of his private firm, Bursch Law PLLC, he has represented Fortune 500 companies, foreign and domestic governments, top public officials, and industry associations in high-profile cases, primarily on appeal. He received his J.D. magna cum laude in 1997 from the University of Minnesota Law School and is admitted to practice in numerous federal district and appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.