# Maine religious custody dispute > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/maine-religious-custody-dispute > Updated: 2026-09-28T04:00:00.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2. 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. ## Timeline ### 2026-09-28: Maine custody dispute restricts child's religious activities A Maine custody dispute has resulted in a court order restricting a child's participation in religious services and access to materials from Calvary Chapel of Greater Portland. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/maine-custody-dispute-restricts-childs-religious-activities ### 2026-09-04: Maine Supreme Court upholds order restricting mother’s religious access for daughter The Maine Supreme Court unanimously upheld a ruling granting a father sole authority over his daughter’s religious upbringing, blocking the mother from taking the teen to Calvary Chapel. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/maine-supreme-court-upholds-religious-custody-ruling-1 --- Cite as: Maine religious custody dispute. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/maine-religious-custody-dispute