brown , a soft - spoken man who is only the fifth leader of a monastery that dates to 1889 , said he had not known that in louisiana only licensed funeral directors are allowed to sell “ funeral merchandise .
the monks won round one in july , when u.s. district judge stanwood r. duval jr. ruled louisiana ’s restrictions unconstitutional , saying “ the sole not very long after god told some at st. joseph abbey that the way out of financial hardship might be selling the monks ’ handcrafted caskets , the state of louisiana arrived with a different message .
it was a cease - and - desist order and came with threats of thousands of dollars in fines and possible criminal prosecution .
it was a cease - and - desist order and came with threats of thousands of dollars in fines and possible criminal prosecution .
“ before we even sold a casket - selling business or become a licensed funeral establishment , which is located about an hour ’s drive from new orleans , on the other side of lake pontchartrain .
the monks won round one in july , when u.s. district judge stanwood r. duval jr. ruled louisiana ’s restrictions unconstitutional , saying “ the sole
” that means that st. joseph abbey must either give up the casket - selling business or become a licensed funeral establishment , which is located about an hour ’s drive from new orleans , on the other side of lake pontchartrain .
now a band of libertarian lawyers is hoping that the honey - colored louisiana cypress coffins provide the vehicle for a supreme court review of government economic regulations .
“ it ’s just a big box .