Welcome to the Napa Legal Podcast, where we discuss religious liberty from the perspective of faith-based nonprofits. In this week's episode, Frank DeVito and Joseph Clement explain a new First Amendment lawsuit, a case against a Buddhist temple that could impact Catholic seminaries and religious orders, and Kansas' new "bathroom bill."

In this episode, we discuss:

1:17 A challenge to Colorado's Blaine Amendment, a law that prevents any state dollars from going to religious organizations. While the US Supreme Court has rendered such laws largely ineffective, Colorado's has never been challenged in court.

14:34 A former member of a Buddhist temple in San Francisco sued for uncollected wages. The lawsuit, which is pending before the California Supreme Court, hinges upon whether the ministerial exception applies to such claims. The case could have a major impact on Catholic seminaries and religious orders in the state.

28:12 The Kansas legislature recently overrode the governors veto of a law that makes it a crime to enter public bathrooms reserved for the opposite sex. The law also applies to locker rooms in public schools. It builds upon a 2023 state law that legally defined sex and an immutable characteristic tied to biology.

For more about Napa Legal and our work, visit our website here: https://www.napalegalinstitute.org

For more of the Napa Legal podcast, visit our site here: https://www.napalegalinstitute.org/the-napa-legal-podcast

Topics: Free Exercise Jurisprudence, Carson v. Makin, Establishment Clause, Church Autonomy Doctrine, transgenderism.

The Napa Legal Podcast, February 24, 2026.

#freedomofreligion #religiousliberty

Welcome to the Napa Legal Podcast, where we discuss religious liberty from the perspective of faith-based nonprofits. In this week's episode, Frank DeVito and Joseph Clement explain the latest on Jimmy Lai's sentencing, lawsuits over sex-rejecting procedures at children's hospitals, and abortion law in Michigan.

In this episode, we discuss:

1:17 Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old Catholic advocate for democracy and human rights in Hong Kong, was recently sentenced to 20 years in a Chinese prison. His family has asked for continued prayers and notes that he has been supported by his faith.

9:10 A lawsuit brought by Rob Bonta against a children's hospital that decided to stop performing sex-rejecting procedures on minors in order to continue receiving federal funding. Bonta is seeking to force the hospital to continue offering such procedures and drugs.

18:28 A lawsuit against Michigan's law that prevents pro-life organizations from hiring only pro-life staff.

For more about Napa Legal and our work, visit our website here:

https://www.napalegalinstitute.org

For more of the Napa Legal podcast, visit our site here:

https://www.napalegalinstitute.org/the-napa-legal-podcast

Topics: Catholic advocacy, political persecution, free speech, free association, transgenderism, abortion law, Michigan Right to Life.

The Napa Legal Podcast, February 18, 2026.

#firstamendment #freespeech #abortionpill #prolife

Welcome to the Napa Legal Podcast, where we discuss religious liberty from the perspective of faith-based nonprofits. In this week's episode, Frank DeVito and Joseph Clement explain a novel legal victory that will protect children from "transgender" surgeries, compelled speech in public schools, and a new lawsuit against abortion pill distribution.

In this episode, we discuss:

1:11 A New York jury verdict awarding $2 million to Varian Fox, a 22-year old woman who received a double mastectomy at the behest of her psychologist to treat her mental illness despite clear underlying trauma. Fox has since "detransitioned" and sued her former psychologist and plastic surgeon for malpractice.

12:38 A recent ruling that upheld a compelled speech requirement in Montgomery County Public Schools. The Country forces all teacher to refer to students by any pronouns the children request, despite the First Amendment's guarantees of free speech and religious exercise.

22:56 A novel lawsuit from a father in Texas against an abortion pill provider that facilitated the death of his two unborn children. This case is the latest in the fight between pro-life and pro-abortion states over whether or not practitioners can mail mifepristone across state lines.

For more about Napa Legal and our work, visit our website here:

https://www.napalegalinstitute.org

For more of the Napa Legal podcast, visit our site here:

https://www.napalegalinstitute.org/the-napa-legal-podcast

For our latest episode discussing free speech in public schools:

https://www.napalegalinstitute.org/podcast-episodes/doj-asks-court-to-delay-lawsuit-against-mailing-abortion-pills-the-first-amendment-and-more

Topics: Transgender ideology, Westchester county, first amendment, Pickering Connick test, Smith, neutral and generally applicable, religious discrimination, mail-order abortions.

The Napa Legal Podcast, February 10, 2026.

#firstamendment #freespeech #abortionpill #prolife