St. Joseph Abbey v. Castille

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW

STANWOOD R. DUVAL, JR., District Judge.

This matter came to trial on June 6, 2011. Before the Court was the issue of whether it is unconstitutional to require those persons who intend solely to manufacture and sell caskets be subject to the licensing requirements for funeral directors and funeral establishments. After considering all testimony and evidence presented at trial and the relevant law, the Court finds that this requirement is in contravention of the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. There is…