The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed an independent expert report, detailing that damages against their client, Redwood Christian Schools, will amount to at least $30 million.

Redwood Christian brought suit against Alameda County in 2001 after county officials denied Redwood Christian a permit to build a Christian school on its property in Castro Valley. The school claims the officials’ decision is in violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

This figure, says the expert report by Dr. Philip Allman, includes only damages from loss of enrollment, construction delay, and increased financing costs. The County could also face additional damages for deprivation of constitutional rights such as free exercise of religion and freedom of speech.

The case, Redwood Christian Schools et al. v. County of Alameda, et al., is scheduled to begin June 26 in the federal district court in San Francisco.