Maine Supreme Court upholds father's right to restrict daughter's church attendance

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has unanimously upheld a lower court ruling in a custody dispute between Emily Bickford and Matthew Bradeen, granting the father authority to restrict their daughter’s religious involvement with Calvary Chapel Greater Portland.

The dispute centered on the daughter’s attendance at the evangelical church. Bradeen argued that the church’s teachings, specifically regarding the rapture, caused the child to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks. A lower court judge had previously ruled that certain teachings could be “psychologically harmful” to the child, leading to an order that gave Bradeen sole decision-making power regarding the child’s involvement with that specific congregation.

Chief Justice Valeria Stanfill, writing for the court, noted that while parents have a fundamental constitutional right to direct their children’s religious upbringing, that right is shared. The court held that the allocation of parental rights must serve the “best interest of the child” and that an allocation of rights to one parent does not necessarily infringe upon the constitutional rights of the other.

While Bradeen holds sole authority regarding Calvary Chapel, the parents must continue to share parental rights and responsibilities regarding any other religious organizations. Mat Staver, chairman of Liberty Counsel and attorney for Bickford, indicated plans to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court.