In 2004, Pastor Hattie Hopkins of the evangelical Christian ministry Faith Center Church sought permission to hold a two-part public event at the Contra Costa Community Library in Antioch, California. The first portion was a two-hour “Wordshop” discussion and the second a two-hour “Praise and Worship” service. The library declined the request on the basis that the meeting would violate the library’s policy forbidding meetings that are “for religious purposes.” The library board contended that permitting the meeting would be akin to a taxpayer subsidy of a particular religious exercise.

Hopkins alleged that her First Amendment rights had been infringed upon and that the church was the victim of viewpoint discrimination. Faith Center Church successfully filed for an injunction against the decision which temporarily prevented the library’s action. The library appealed the matter before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2006.

Did the Contra Costa County Library infringe on the church members’ First Amendment rights of assembly and religion?