Maine High Court Weighs Religious Freedom Against Child’s Best Interests

Maine Court Determines Father Has Final Authority Over Daughter’s Church Attendance

The state’s highest court was careful to note that its decision was based on the “best interest of the child” and did not concern “the substance of Bickford’s beliefs.”

Maine High Court Weighs Religious Freedom Against Child’s Best Interests

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has ruled that a child’s best interests can guide religious custody disputes, rejecting strict scrutiny and prompting a planned U.S. Supreme Court challenge over parental rights and religious freedom.