Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church v. Pritzker, No. 21-2523 (7th Cir. 2022)

Annotate this Case
Justia Opinion Summary

Two churches sued Illinois Governor Pritzker after he issued an executive order that limited to 10 the number of people who could attend a religious service during the COVID-19 pandemic. The district court declined to enjoin enforcement. By the time the appeal reached the Seventh Circuit, Pritzker had rescinded the order. The court held that the case was not moot but that the order did not violate the Free Exercise Clause. The churches nonetheless requested that the district court issue an injunction, citing recent Supreme Court decisions. The Seventh Circuit affirmed the dismissal of the request. The court noted that the Governor will likely consider recent legal developments in crafting any new order in response to the recent surge. The court further noted that Pritzker is entitled to qualified immunity and that an award of damages is not available.

Download PDF
In the United States Court of Appeals For the Seventh Circuit IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN %@N87K8;89N $ N AN * AN "(N AN $N )N % "N & */N )N %, ($%(N % N "" $% )AN * @N IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN 76A 8688 M 77A 8688N IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN %( N AN AN $ N A+ ! + ! @N @N -%N +( )N)+ N* N %, ($%(N% N "" $% )N * (N N ))+ N $N . +* , N%( (N" # * $ N*%N* $N* N$+# (N % N& ()%$)N- %N %+" N 4 $ N $/N& (* +" (N( " %+)N) (, N +( $ N* N K % K8N& $ # @N N )*( *N %+(*N $ N * N +( )FN#%* %$N %(N N&( " # $ (/N $ +$ * %$@N /N* N* # N 8N %@N87K8;89N * N && "N - )N ( + N $N +$ N 8686AN * N %, ($%(N N ( K ) $ N )N %( (N $ N * ( N - )N $%N "%$ (N $/N " # *N %$N * N $+# (N% N& ()%$)N- %N %+" N& (* & * N $N( " %+)N ( #%K $ )@N N " N* *N* N&%)) " */N% N( )*%( $ N* N%( $ "N%(K (AN ) %+" N * N & $ # N %# N #%( N ) ( %+)AN # $*N * *N * N ) N )N$%*N#%%*AN +*N* *N* N%( (N N$%*N, %" * N* N ( N . ( ) N " +) N% N* N ()*N # $ # $*@N + + * + ! +"(+ ' AN?<8N @9 N9:7NC=* N (@N8686D@N " $* 2)N )! N* N )*( *N %+(*N*%N ))+ N N& (# $ $*N $K +$ * %$N $%*- * )* $ $ N %+(N ) %$@N /N % ) (, N * *N * N +&( # N %+(*N( $*"/N )N# N* N" -N#%( N ,%( " N *%N* #N /N %$ "+ $ N* *N)* * )N#+)*N*( *N( " %+)N % )N *N" )*N )N- ""N )N $/N) +" (N %#& ( *%(AN$%*N +)*N )N- ""N )N * N#%)*N) # " (N) +" (N%( $ 0 * %$@N AN @ @AN +"(+ #* AN7:7N @N *@N78?:NC8687DBN + + + + $ + "(+ ! AN7:7N @N *@N<9NC8686D@N N )*( *N %+(*N N$%*N( N * N# ( *)AN(+" $ N $)* N* *N* N" * * %$N )N#%%*@N8687N @ @N )*@N N 79>?;8N C @ @N ""@N +"/N 8<AN 8687D@N N + N .K &( )) N %$1 $ N* *N" # *)N%$N 4 $ $ N- ""N$%*N N( $K )* * @N N +( )N , N1" N N) %$ N && "@N N )*( *N %+(*F)N ) %$N )N '+ )* %$ " N +) N *N )N $ %$) )* $*N- * N%+(N%& $ %$AN&"+)N* N +(* (N( )%$N* *N* N %, ($%(N %$* $+ )N*%N) /N* *N%( ()N# /N N # $ N )N* N & $ # N %$* $+ )@N * N * N # (%$N , ( $*N )&( $ AN #%( N& %&" N , N K7?N$%-N* $N , (N %( @N (/ $ N*%N &( *N- *N . +* , N%( ()N# /N N %&* N $N( )&%$) N*%N - N&%* $* "N $ )N $N* N %+() N% N* N ) ) N )N N#+ F)N # N $ N$%*N N1(#N (%+$ N %(N( )%", $ N* )N ) @N * ""AN *N % )N$%*N %""%-N* *N&" $* 2)N ( N $* *" N*%N $N $K +$ * %$@N %( N* $N7?N#%$* )N , N& )) N) $ N* /N- ( N " )*N)+ *N*%N $N 4 $ $ N" # *AN $ N* N %, ($%(N )N$%*N %@N87K8;89N 9N )+ )* N* *N $%* (N )N" ! "/@N N" "N %$ "+) %$N* *N N( K ) $ N%( (N, %" * N* N %$)* *+* %$N-%+" N$%*N $* *" N $K /%$ N*%N $N $ +$ * %$@N N " + + $)+ (+"(+ AN7:7N @N *@N;8=NC8686D@N %N- N " N $N +"(+ $ AN ??6N @9 N;9?NC=* N (@N8687DAN %+*N* N, (/N)+ *N$%-N %( N +)M- * (N +( )N ( N $* *" N*%N $N $ +$ * %$N %( $ N * N %, ($%(N% N "" $% )N*%N( $)* * N* N)%(*N% N & */N" # *N * *N- )N $N %( N %(N %+*N* $N- !)N $ $ N $N)&( $ N8686@N $N * %$N *%N )*( )) $ N * *N $N $ +$ * %$N )N N ) ( * %$ (/N ( # /AN- N$ -N , "%&# $*)N# /N# ! N+$$ )) (/NC N $%*N #&(+ $*DAN - N % ) (, N * *N * N %, ($%(N " ! "/N - ""N * ! N %+$*N% N" "N , "%&# $*)N- $N ))+ $ N $/N$ -N%(K ()@N N ( "N %+(*N%+ *N*%N , N)* * N%3 ")N* N( )& *N% N &( * $ N * *N * /N - ""N &*N $ N %""%-N * N +&( # N %+(*F)N $ "/) )@N +)*N )N $+ AN - N %" N * *N * N )*( *N %+(*N N$%*N +) N *)N ) ( * %$N $N*+($ $ N %-$N&" $* 2)FN ( '+ )*N %(N $ +$ * , N( " @N N %#&" $*N( '+ )*)N # )AN +*N* *N&(%)& *N % )N $%*N! &N* )N ) N " , @N N%$"/N $ $*N )N* N %, ($%(AN $N )N%3 "N & */@N +"(+ + + + + * AN:?7N @ @N;>NC7?>?DAN %" )N* *N:8N @ @ @NJ7?>9AN%$N- N * )N)+ *N )N ) AN % )N$%*N ""%-N - ( )N% N # )N $)*N )* * )M $ N* *N%3 "K & */N)+ *)N $)*N)* * N $*)N ( N )+ *)N $)*N* N)* * )N* #) ", )@N *N %""%-)N* *N # )N ( N +$ , " " @N N ")%AN @ @AN % + + & + +"(+ * % AN;86N @ @N:9AN<>L=6NC7??=D@N $ N N- N- ( N*%N $%( N* NG%3 "N & */HN" $ + N * *N* N %#&" $*)N+) N*%N ) ( N %, ($%(N ( 5! (F)N)* K *+)AN* N +( )N)* ""N %+" N$%*N% * $N # )AN +) N* N %, ($%(N-%+" N N $* *" N*%N'+ " 1 N ##+$ */@N ""N* *N * N %, ($%(N -%$N %$N * N # ( *)N %$N * N 1()*N && "AN - N :N %@N87K8;89N # ! )N *N #&%)) " N*%N ) ( N )NG " ("/N )* " ) HN $N* N )&( $ N% N8686N N(+" N* *N N & */N" # *N%$N( " %+)N) (, )N +( $ N N& $ # N, %" * )N* N %$)* *+* %$@+ + + + + $ N- )N$%*N N+$* "N %, # (N8;AN8686AN ) .N#%$* )N * (N* N %, ($%(N( ) $ N* N%( (N #&%) $ N & */N" # *)N%$N $K& ()%$N( " %+)N , $*)AN $ N AN K N%$N &( "N?AN8687AN) %-)N* *N* ( N- ( NC $ N ( DN)* ""N * " N ))+ )N %+*N %-N&+ " N%3 ")N# /N( +" * N( " K %+)N * ( $ )N +( $ N N& $ # @N N "" $% )N #&%) )N $N % * %$ " N %( (N $N ( )&%$) N *%N $ -N , "%&# $*)N $N* N& $ # AN* N +( )N# /N1" N N $ -N)+ *@N +*N* )N)+ *N )N%, (@N AFFIRMED
Primary Holding

Seventh Circuit rejects, for a second time, a challenge to a now-rescinded 2020 Illinois executive order limiting the number of people who could attend a religious service during the pandemic.


Disclaimer: Justia Annotations is a forum for attorneys to summarize, comment on, and analyze case law published on our site. Justia makes no guarantees or warranties that the annotations are accurate or reflect the current state of law, and no annotation is intended to be, nor should it be construed as, legal advice. Contacting Justia or any attorney through this site, via web form, email, or otherwise, does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.