Capitol Hill Baptist Church sued D.C. last fall over pandemic restrictions limiting its ability to hold outdoor services for its congregation of 850.

The church proposed a section of 328 seats that wouldn’t have any social distancing requirements for fully vaccinated parishioners.

The church sued D.C. in September over its COVID-19 gathering restrictions, and earlier this month a federal judge allowed in-person gatherings to take place while the lawsuit makes it way through the courts.

“One of the most foundational rights protected by the Bill of Rights is the free exercise of religion,” wrote a DOJ official in support of the lawsuit.