A federal district judge in Tennessee has given clear guidance to Rutherford County officials on how to move forward with the mosque building permit: hold another meeting with proper notice to re-vote on the application. In the meantime, he refuses to allow the nearly-completed structure to be certified for occupancy.

[Judge] Corlew declined to [issue a stay], saying that a stay would gut his earlier decision that the meeting notice was insufficient and therefore the construction approval was void.

“It’s my duty to direct the county to recognize the voided nature of the matters addressed at that meeting,” Corlew said.

County officials maintain that they treated the mosque application the same way they have treated all others and to act any differently would implicate religious freedom laws. They have appealed Corlew's ruling to the state Court of Appeals.