Fourth Circuit Issues Opinion in Legislative Prayer Case

Yesterday, in a 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled in favor of citizen plaintiffs, and against a county board of commissioners, in a challenge to the board's pre-meeting prayers.  The case is Joyner v. Forsyth County.  The 49-page opinion (which includes a dissent of approximately 20 pages) can be found here (Wilkinson writing the majority opinion and joined by Keenan; Niemeyer dissenting).  Perhaps one of our con law experts will blog on the case.

From the opinion I note that James Michael Johnson (Alliance Defense Fund) argued the case on behalf of the board.  Johnson is the founding dean of the Pressler School of Law of Louisiana College.