Today, Liberty Counsel filed a federal lawsuit against a Florida state court judge seeking emergency relief from an injunction that has banned individuals from gathering for Bible study, prayer, or religious worship. The lawsuit names the Honorable Sandra Upchurch, in her official capacity as Circuit Judge for the Circuit Court of the Seventh Judicial Circuit for Flagler County, Florida, as the defendant. 

The Complaint states:

“For Plaintiffs, it is Resurrection Sunday and the Order that is the subject to this litigation has transformed their place of worship into the equivalent of a constitutional tomb in which they may gather for ‘administrative’ purposes so long as it is not a ‘public assembly,’ which is not defined, has no definition, could include meetings for ‘administrative’ purposes, or is be applied to restrict any ‘public assembly’ (no matter the size) if that ‘public assembly’ includes religious worship. Thus, a small Bible study, or prayer meeting with an insignificant number of people, or the singing of Christian songs by two, five, or ten people (who knows) may be deemed impermissible, subjecting Plaintiffs to the wrath of the state court order. A meeting for ‘administrative’ purposes even if not a ‘public assembly’ that ends in a short time of religious worship could cross the line from a permissible ‘public assembly’ to an impermissible ‘public assembly.’”

The state-court injunction barring Coastal Family Church from holding religious services “strike[s] at the very heart of the First Amendment’s guarantee of religious liberty,” states the lawsuit. “…all members of Coastal Family Church face the crippling punishment of contempt and sanction for merely attempting to exercise their constitutionally protected First Amendment rights and sincerely held religious beliefs.”

Flagler Beach police confirm with Coastal Family Church leaders on Sunday, January 25, 2026, that no in-person worship services are being held in accordance with the injunction.

For eight weeks, and for each and every day that passes, Coastal Family Church, its elders, and its congregants have lost their First Amendment rights to speech, peaceable assembly, equal protection, and the free exercise of religion, states the lawsuit. As a result, the congregants argue that urgent federal intervention is now the only path to restoring their ability to gather for worship, particularly as Easter approaches.

The congregants have “already faced the arm of the State in badges showing up to ensure they did not engage in religious worship, read Scripture, receive communion, or fellowship,” wrote Liberty Counsel. 

“But circumstances do arise,” the lawsuit notes, where federal courts “are required to adjudicate claims arising from state court's orders prohibiting expressive activities constitutionally protected under the First Amendment.” And when the federal court is “presented with such an unconstitutional order,” it has “a virtually unflagging obligation” to resolve it, reads the lawsuit.

Liberty Counsel seeks a temporary restraining order immediately halting the state-court injunction, and follow-on preliminary and permanent injunctions allowing worship services to resume.

The lawsuit outlines how church leaders have sought emergency relief from every available Florida state court—including the trial court (Seventh Judicial Circuit), the Fifth District Court of Appeal, and the Florida Supreme Court all without success. The Florida Supreme Court initially denied jurisdiction of the matter. Coastal Family Church Pastor Roderick Palmer refiled an amended application arguing it does have jurisdiction, but the Florida Supreme Court has not yet responded.

The church, located in the Flagler Square strip mall, has been sued by its property association, Flagler Square – JAX, Inc., over alleged parking congestion and a condominium covenant that the association interprets as prohibiting “public assembly.” Despite no evidence of parking problems, the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court issued the injunction. Since then, the property management company has used police to ensure the church abided by the injunction and did not hold religious services.

Liberty Counsel notes the property association’s lawsuit against the church “targets” its religious gatherings while letting other non-religious assemblies meet without restriction on the other properties in the strip mall. Consequently, the Seventh Judicial Circuit’s injunction and the Fifth District’s concurrence “punish” Coastal Family Church and its congregants for church attendance on its property. 

This is a prior restraint on religious assembly and worship and is unconstitutional under the First Amendment, wrote Liberty Counsel. 

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “The U.S. Constitution leaves no room for court orders that operate as prior restraints on religious worship. When a judge issues an order that suppresses First Amendment freedoms, federal courts have both the authority and the obligation to intervene. Every additional day that this injunction remains in force deepens the constitutional harm on Coastal Family Church and its congregation. The U.S. Constitution and Florida laws are clear that Coastal Family Church has the right to hold church services on church property and that restrictive covenants cannot ban religious assembly. This injunction must be overturned.”