Maine religious custody dispute

A custody dispute in Portland, Maine, involving Emily Bickford and Matthew Bradeen has centered on the religious upbringing of their daughter. The conflict arose after Bradeen sought to restrict the child’s involvement with Calvary Chapel of Greater Portland, employing a cult expert to monitor sermons and arguing that church attendance was harmful to the child.

Legal proceedings resulted in an order restricting the child from participating in services, gatherings, or events associated with the church. The order also limits the child’s access to church-published materials and restricts communication with church members, except for Bickford.

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court issued a unanimous ruling upholding the order, granting Bradeen sole authority over the child’s religious upbringing. The court’s decision followed findings that the child had experienced panic attacks related to the church’s sermons. Legal representatives for Bickford, including the Liberty Counsel, have criticized the ruling as a violation of First and Fourteenth Amendment rights and have expressed intentions to petition the U.S. Supreme Court.