Satanic Temple, The v. Belle Plaine, City of

Monument intended for veterans park
Satanic Temple, The v. Belle Plaine, City of ("Satanic Temple I")
Filing Date	4/25/2019
Original Jurisdiction	US District Court for the District of Minnesota
Plaintiff	The Satanic Temple Inc.
Defendant	City of Belle Plaine, Minnesota; Mayor Christopher Meyer; and Councillors Ben Stier, Cary Coop, Paul Chard, and Theresa McDaniel (all Terminated - July 31, 2020)
Intervenor	N/A
State	Minnesota
Case#	0:19-cv-01122-WMW-JFD
Original Result	Dismissed (failure)
First Appeal	Appealed (ongoing)
Second Appeal	N/A
Final Result

Satanic Temple, Inc v. Belle Plaine, City of ("Satanic Temple II")
Filing Date	2/04/2021
Original Jurisdiction	US District Court for the District of Minnesota
Plaintiff	The Satanic Temple Inc.
Defendant	City of Belle Plaine, MN
Intervenor	N/A
State	Minnesota
Case#	0:2021cv00336
Original Result	Dismissed and sanctioned (failure)
First Appeal	Appealed (ongoing)
Second Appeal	N/A
Final Result

Satanic Temple loses court battle over placing monument in Belle Plaine

A federal judge supported Belle Plaine's objections.

By Erin Adler Star Tribune OCTOBER 8, 2021 — 12:59PM

The Satanic Temple has lost its court battle with the city of Belle Plaine four years after the religious group attempted to put a monument in the local Veterans Memorial Park.

The temple asserted in two separate lawsuits that the southwest metro city had violated its rights to free speech and free expression of religion, among other objections. But a federal judge dismissed most of those allegations in 2020 and decided in September that the city didn't breach a contract when it revoked the temple's permit to install the monument.

Belle Plaine is pleased with the court's decision, said Dawn Meyer, city administrator.

"Don't pick a fight you can't win — and that's what happened here," City Council Member Paul Chard said. "It's too bad it had to get this far."

The court's ruling came by summary judgment, not a trial.

Matthew Kezhaya, the Satanic Temple's attorney, said that the Massachusetts-based religious group has filed notices to appeal both the first case and a second, similar case that it filed.

"Our case was never heard," he said. "If the public silently watches this miscarriage of justice happen to the Satanic Temple, then it disempowers itself to credibly object when it happens to other religious minorities."

Full article

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Appeal Docket

The Satanic Temple v. City of Belle Plaine, et al | Appeal From: U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota

Date	PDF File	Docket entry
9/21/2021	Document	APPEARANCE filed by Matthew A. Kezhaya for Appellant The Satanic Temple w/service 09/21/2021 [5078939] [21-3079] (MAK) [Entered: 09/21/2021 12:57 PM]
9/27/2021	Document	METHOD of appendix preparation filed by Appellant The Satanic Temple in 21-3079, 21-3081 - Separate Appendix - w/service 09/27/2021 [5081203] [21-3079, 21-3081] (MAK) [Entered: 09/27/2021 05:39 PM]
09/29/2021	Document	STATEMENT of issues filed by Appellant The Satanic Temple in 21-3079, 21-3081 - w/service 09/29/2021. [5082064] [21-3079, 21-3081] (MAK) [Entered: 09/29/2021 07:46 PM]
09/29/2021	Document	DESIGNATION of record, Certificate of Transcript, and Method of Appendix Preparation filed by Appellant The Satanic Temple in 21-3079, 21-3081. w/service 09/29/2021 [5082065] [21-3079, 21-3081]--[Edited 09/30/2021 by CRJ. ENTRY EDITED TO ADD ADDITIONAL NOTICES.] (MAK) [Entered: 09/29/2021 07:48 PM]
09/29/2021	Document	DESIGNATION of record, Certificate of Transcript, and Method of Appendix Preparation filed by Appellant The Satanic Temple in 21-3079, 21-3081. w/service 09/29/2021 [5082066] [21-3079, 21-3081]--[Edited 09/30/2021 by CRJ. ENTRY IS SAME AS 5082065 WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FOOTER CHANGE FROM STATEMENT OF ISSUES TO DESIGNATION OF RECORD.] (MAK) [Entered: 09/29/2021 07:51 PM]
10/14/2021	Document	MOTION for extension of time to file brief until 12/06/2021, filed by Attorney Mr. Matthew A. Kezhaya for Appellant The Satanic Temple in 21-3079, 21-3081 w/service 10/14/2021. [5087411] [21-3079, 21-3081] (MAK) [Entered: 10/14/2021 05:29 PM]
10/15/2021	Document	CLERK ORDER:Granting [5087411-2] motion for extension of time to file brief filed by Mr. Matthew A. Kezhaya. Brief of The Satanic Temple due 12/06/2021. Appendix due on 12/06/2021. [5087443] [21-3079, 21-3081] (CRJ) [Entered: 10/15/2021 08:30 AM]
11/10/2021	Document	CORPORATE disclosure statement filed by Appellant The Satanic Temple in 21-3079, 21-3081. - FOR CAL [5096756] [21-3079, 21-3081] (MAK) [Entered: 11/10/2021 05:53 PM]
11/16/2021	Document	MOTION for extension of time to file brief until 01/05/2022, filed by Attorney Mr. Matthew A. Kezhaya for Appellant The Satanic Temple in 21-3079, 21-3081 w/service 11/16/2021. [5098135] [21-3079, 21-3081] (MAK) [Entered: 11/16/2021 02:19 PM]
11/16/2021	Document	CLERK ORDER:Granting [5098135-2] motion for extension of time to file brief filed by Mr. Matthew A. Kezhaya. Brief of The Satanic Temple due 01/05/2022. Appendix due on 01/05/2022. [5098325] [21-3079, 21-3081] (CRJ) [Entered: 11/16/2021 04:58 PM]
12/17/2021	N/A	RECORD FILED - MOTION TRANSCRIPT, 1 volumes, Comments: District Court document #119 [Copy do not return to the District Court at end of case], Source Location: USDC / MN, Dt. of Proceeding/Hearing: 12/17/2020, No. of Pgs.: 40, Court Reporter: Simpson, Christine A. [5109074] [21-3079, 21-3081] (STL) [Entered: 12/17/2021 08:25 AM]
12/17/2021	N/A	RECORD FILED - MOTION TRANSCRIPT, 1 volumes, Comments: District Court document #120 [Copy do not return to the District Court at end of case], Source Location: USDC / MN, Dt. of Proceeding/Hearing: 04/27/2021, No. of Pgs.: 74, Court Reporter: Simpson, Lori Ann [5109075] [21-3079, 21-3081] (STL) [Entered: 12/17/2021 08:27 AM]
12/22/2021	Document	MOTION for extension of time to file brief until 02/04/2022, filed by Attorney Mr. Matthew A. Kezhaya for Appellant The Satanic Temple in 21-3079, 21-3081 w/service 12/22/2021. [5110760] [21-3079, 21-3081] (MAK) [Entered: 12/22/2021 02:16 PM]
12/22/2021	Document	CLERK ORDER:Granting in Part [5110760-2] motion for extension of time to file brief filed by Mr. Matthew A. Kezhaya [5110896] Brief of The Satanic Temple due 01/21/2022. Appendix due on 01/21/2022 [5110896] [21-3079, 21-3081] (CRJ) [Entered: 12/22/2021 04:53 PM]
N/A	N/A	N/A