Court order prevents mom from taking her daughter to church or even reading the Bible!

Ava is 12 and will turn 13 in January. Her mom, Emily Bickford, has not been allowed to take her to church since December 2024! Ava’s non-custodial father hates Christianity, so he got a judge (who was a former ACLU president) to issue a custody order that is the most hostile to Christianity I have ever seen. It forbids Ava from associating with any of her church friends or attending church or Christian events. The custody order even prevents Ava from studying the Bible, “religious philosophy,” or discussing her faith with her own mother! No Christmas events are allowed for Ava either!

Don’t let anti-Christian judges ban children from church! Help us defend Ava and her mother by supporting our legal fund, and a special Year-End Challenge Grant will DOUBLE your impact.

Matt Bradeen never married Emily after she became pregnant over a dozen years ago. The relationship ended before Ava was even born. Emily had primary custody of Ava, and Matt had visitation rights. 

Ava and Emily had been attending Calvary Chapel, an evangelical Christian church in Portland, ME, for 3½ years. Ava informed her father last year that she was excited to be baptized. But whereas most parents would be overjoyed, Matt found an ACLU judge and flew in a Marxist former sociology professor from California to testify that Calvary Chapel (and any church that believes the Bible) are “cults” that cause psychological harm to children. 

The judge found that Emily is a fit parent EXCEPT for the fact that she is a Christian. The judge mocked Ava and Emily’s faith by purposefully refusing to capitalize the word “God” — something I have never seen. The judge even chastised Emily for allowing the church pastor to pray for Ava. And the judge ruled that Emily could not take Ava to ANY church unless Matt approves. And Matt has steadfastly refused to approve ANY church.

But it gets worse... The order is so broad that:

• Ava cannot associate with any of her church friends or any member of Calvary Chapel Portland.
• If Ava meets a new friend outside of Calvary and that person begins attending Calvary, Ava must cut ties with that friend.
• Ava cannot attend ANY Christmas, Easter, or any other Christian event or celebration at ANY church, including any wedding, funeral, or even hospital visits with anyone associated with Calvary Chapel.
• Ava cannot have any contact or participation with ANY religious organization (which would include Salvation Army or a food bank, homeless shelter, or crisis pregnancy center).
• Ava cannot read the Bible or religious literature or be exposed to any “religious philosophy.” 

Matt Bradeen is even using the court’s custody order to insist that Emily cannot read the Bible or teach Ava ANYTHING about the Christian faith! I wish this were not real, but sadly it is.

Don’t let anti-Christian judges keep kids out of church!

Ava wants to attend church and be with her Sunday school friends. But this custody order has completely cut her off from Calvary and her friends, and from growing her Christian faith. This has been devastatingly heart wrenching for both Emily and Ava. This has been going on since December 2024!

Last Thursday, I presented oral arguments before the Maine Supreme Court to overturn this outrageous custody order. 

The majority of justices said the order is hostile toward religion and that it used a “nuclear option” by taking all decision-making away from an unquestionably fit parent regarding the religious upbringing of her daughter.

We now await the Maine Supreme Court’s decision.

We need YOUR DIRECT FINANCIAL SUPPORT to defend folks like Emily and Ava. Few people could afford to fight even the most egregious religious discrimination all the way to a state Supreme Court. Instead, our clients rely on YOU, the generous Liberty Counsel supporter, to ensure parents still have the right to religious freedom. Support Emily and Ava, and your gift will be DOUBLED in impact by our Year-End Challenge Grant.

Please pray that the Maine Supreme Court will see this custody order for what it truly is — unconstitutional religious discrimination — and give Emily and Ava the right to return to church!

"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea" (Matt. 18:6).