Maine Supreme Court upholds order restricting mother’s religious access for daughter

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has issued a unanimous ruling upholding a lower court order that grants a father, Matthew Bradeen, sole authority over his 13-year-old daughter’s religious upbringing. The order prevents the mother, Emily Bickford, from taking the child to Calvary Chapel of Greater Portland.

The dispute stems from concerns raised by the father regarding the potential psychological impact of the church’s teachings on the child. A lower court judge previously ruled that the child had experienced panic attacks related to the church’s sermons, leading to the decision to grant Bradeen final authority over religious activities.

Legal representatives for the mother, including the Liberty Counsel, have criticized the decision as a violation of First and Fourteenth Amendment rights to the free exercise of religion. They argue the ruling threatens parental rights and deviates from established legal precedents. The Liberty Counsel has stated its intention to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.