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The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a 12-6 vote, has officially signed off on Louisiana’s law requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public school classrooms, allowing it to take effect. Is Texas’ law next?
The Texas and Louisiana laws are very similar in nature, with only minor differences. They were heard by the Fifth Circuit on the same day, but that doesn’t guarantee a similar timeline for the ruling, let alone a similar result.
Jonathan Covey with Texas Values, who has helped push the Texas Ten Commandments law forward, explained: “Courts hear these related cases together because the legal themes overlap. But each case stands on its own record, and judges have to analyze the specifics.”
In short, this ruling from the Fifth Circuit in the Louisiana case doesn’t directly reflect on the Texas law, but it does give supporters some clues. Covey says: “I do expect we’ll see the Texas case decided in the not-too-distant future, and then we’ll have appeals to the Supreme Court.”
He also emphasized that the Fifth Circuit could still decide to strike down the Texas law, despite upholding the Louisiana law, saying: “One outcome in a case that’s heard together for efficiency’s sake does not necessarily guarantee the same outcome.”