Court rules Gov. Beshear must allow drive-in church services, federal appeals court declined to rule on case

Governor Andy Beshear has been ordered to allow a Louisville church's drive-in services.

the U.S. Court of Appeals on Saturday issued an order that prohibits Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear from banning a Louisville church’s drive-in worship services.

Maryville Baptist Church pastor Jack Roberts filed a lawsuit accusing Beshear of violating their constitutional rights after Kentucky State Police went to the church on Easter and placed notices on the cars of people who attended services alerting worshipers that the health department would require them to self-quarantine for 14 days.

The notices were placed on people's cars who attended services inside the church in violation of Beshear’s order and those who remained in their cars to listen to the service on loudspeakers that had been placed in the parking lot, the lawsuit states.

The order filed Saturday in the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals will allow the church to hold drive-in services as long as those who attend “adhere to the public health requirements mandated for ‘life-sustaining’ entities.”

The governor's office said in a release this decision supports what Gov. Beshear has been saying.

A federal appeals court declined to rule Saturday on Gov. Beshear’s ban on in-person church services at Maryville Baptist Church amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The office of Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron filed a brief supporting the church on Wednesday.