Ohio Attorney General David Yost has filed a brief in support of a pastor who was recently found guilty of a building code violation related to his church sheltering the homeless.
Pastor Chris Avell of Dad's Place Church in Bryan was recently found guilty of a fire code violation that was leveled by city officials.
In an amicus brief filed earlier this week in the Court of Appeals of Ohio, Sixth Appellate District, Williams County, Yost argued that the city was violating the church’s rights.
“This case is about religious liberty,” read the brief. “Applying Ohio’s proper test — strict scrutiny — the Church should prevail, and the preliminary injunction against the Church should be reversed.”
“That is because the City has not shown a likelihood of success that its claimed interests are compelling, nor has it shown that it has chosen the least restrictive means of pursuing its interests. As shown below, the City cannot meet the higher burden that Ohio’s Constitution requires.”
The First Liberty Institute, which is helping to represent Avell, noted that this marks the third brief that Yost has filed on behalf of ...
