Perez v. City of San Antonio
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June 20, 2025
San Antonio Pushes To Repair Park Amid Tribal Dispute
The city of San Antonio has asked the Fifth Circuit to lift a stay on a tribal appeal after the Texas Supreme Court answered a question about a state law addressing religious practices, arguing that the high court's opinion rules out two Native Americans' claims.
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June 16, 2025
Texas Justices Say Park Repairs Trump Native Religion Claims
A law forbidding Texas from enacting rules to curtail certain religious services does not extend to its preservation and management of publicly owned lands, the state Supreme Court said, weighing in on a Fifth Circuit dispute between Native American church members and the city of San Antonio over access to a local park.
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December 04, 2024
Some Religious Gathering Limits Are OK, Texas Justices Told
The city of San Antonio hit back Wednesday at Native American church members' reliance on a Texas constitutional amendment banning limitations on religious services, telling the Texas Supreme Court that the amendment must be viewed in the context of COVID-19 restrictions.
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November 01, 2024
Texas Justice Says Amici Should Get Say In Religion Case
A Texas Supreme Court justice released a statement Friday saying the court should have granted First Liberty Institute's request for five minutes to argue its position in a case about religious freedom under the Lone Star State's constitution, saying help from an amici would be "sensible and advisable."
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September 06, 2024
Texas Justices To Weigh In On Native American Park Dispute
The Texas Supreme Court agreed Friday to answer a question from the Fifth Circuit about religious freedom under the Lone Star State's constitution to aid the federal appellate court in resolving a dispute between Native American church members and San Antonio over access to a local park.
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April 12, 2024
5th Circ. Won't Block Park Plan Over Religious Concerns
The Fifth Circuit has upheld a lower court's decision ordering the city of San Antonio to allow Native American church members access to a park under renovation for religious ceremonies but declined to enjoin the city's planned tree removal and bird deterrence program.
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February 22, 2024
San Antonio Can Scare Off Park Birds For Now, 5th Circ. Says
The Fifth Circuit said San Antonio, Texas, can move ahead with its bird deterrence program at a park where Native American church members claim the city is violating their religious rights by pursuing renovation plans that will harm a sacred area's spiritual ecology by removing trees and driving off nesting cormorants.
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December 07, 2023
5th Circ. Presses San Antonio On Park Plan Worship Problems
A Fifth Circuit panel on Thursday leaned on San Antonio to show it considered ways to renovate a city park that would preserve a riverfront area sacred to a Native American church that accuses the city of trampling on its religious practices.