No. 24-1114

Alicia Lowe, et al. v. Sara Gagne-Holmes, Acting Commissioner, Maine Department of Health and Human Services, et al.

Lower Court: First Circuit
Docketed: 2025-04-28
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Response Waived Experienced Counsel
Tags: civil-rights constitutional-review judicial-scrutiny litigation-sham religious-exemption vaccine-mandate
Latest Conference: 2025-06-12
Question Presented (from Petition)

(1) Whether a State may avoid judicial review of an authorizing statute that categorically prohibits religious accommodations to compulsory vaccination—contrary to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964—by rescinding an emergency rule applying the statute to a specific disease, while continuing to enforce the statute in all other respects.

(2) Whether a State's decision to maintain an unconstitutionally discriminatory system of compulsory vaccination through three years of litigation and only rescinds its vaccination mandate immediately after an appellate court requires it to submit to merits discovery concerning the constitutionality of that system engages in a litigation-driven sham to escape review of its unconstitutional policies.

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a State may avoid judicial review of a statute categorically prohibiting religious accommodations by rescinding an emergency rule while continuing to enforce the statute in other respects

Docket Entries

2025-06-16
Petition DENIED.
2025-05-27
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/12/2025.
2025-05-20
Waiver of Sarah Gagne-Holmes, et al. of right to respond submitted.
2025-05-20
Waiver of right of respondent Sarah Gagne-Holmes, et al. to respond filed.
2025-04-17
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 28, 2025)

Attorneys

Alicia Lowe, et al.
Mathew D. Staver — Petitioner
Sarah Gagne-Holmes, et al.
Kimberly Leehaug PatwardhanOffice of the Maine Attorney General, Respondent