Religious Liberty Clinic students Caitlin Bradley ’14, Peyton Gulley ’15, Paul Harold ’14, Christian Perez ’15, Courtney Quiros ’14 and Mark Storslee ’15 recently presented a brief and oral argument to the Ventura City Council on behalf of their client, Harbor Community Church. The students argued that their client should have the right to continue its ministry to the poor and homeless at its neighborhood church notwithstanding strong opposition from some neighbors. The students’ work was profiled in a recent feature in the Stanford Daily and the actual argument given by Peyton can be viewed here.

The brief, which Paul and Courtney filed last fall, emphasized that their clients’ pastoral care and worship with the city’s poor are forms of religious exercise protected by federal laws enacted to protect religious land use. Peyton, Caitlin, Christian, and Mark followed up this winter by presenting argument to the Council at two televised hearings that lasted a combined 10 hours and were attended by more than 200 supporters and opponents. The Council’s decision is expected this spring.