As promised, a federal lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Amish families in Morristown, NY.
The 17-count complaint charges that since 2006, Morristown officials have singled out the Amish, who belong to the Old Order Swartzentruber Amish, for prosecution under local building codes, bringing more than ten separate prosecutions for building or moving homes without permits that require battery-powered smoke detectors, certified architectural plans and other modern innovations forbidden to the Amish.
You can read the complaint, filed by the Becket Fund, here. Plaintiffs allege a violation of their Free Exercise rights under the First Amendment, as well as a denial of free speech and association. In addition, they are charging the town with violating RLUIPA.
