New Jersey Mall Sued for Breaking Obscure Religious Law

In the Christian tradition, Sunday is a day of rest. The third commandment of the Ten Commandments states: “Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day.” As a result, Christian societies tend to ban or discourage various commerce-related activities on Sundays. “Blue laws” represent statutes that make these bans official, and they are some of the most overlooked laws in the United States today. Even relatively liberal states like New Jersey have active blue laws, and this became clear after a Garden State mall was sued for selling items on Sundays. 

Massive New Jersey Mall Sued for Selling Items on Sundays

In August of 2025, multiple sources reported that one of the biggest malls in New Jersey (and the entire nation) was facing a lawsuit for allegedly selling items on Sundays. The American Dream Mall is the second-largest in the country by total area, with three million square feet of space. The only mall bigger than American Dream is the Mall of America in Minnesota. 

ABC News reports that the mall is being sued by officials in nearby Paramus for selling non-essential items on Sundays. These items include clothing and furniture, and officials contend that these transactions represent thousands of blue law violations over the years. The mayor of Paramus states that the mall’s owners promised on record that they would follow these blue laws when construction on the shopping center finished. 

Are New Jersey’s Blue Laws Really Enforceable?

Many observers are shocked that New Jersey still has these kinds of laws on the books. It is important to understand that while the state of New Jersey does not enforce these laws, individual counties have the authority to do so. Paramus officials claim that this is the case with Bergen County, which held a referendum on whether to uphold blue laws. The citizens reportedly chose to adopt these laws, and they subsequently became legally enforceable. 

At one point in time, New Jersey’s blue laws were much stricter – and they applied to the entire Garden State. Today, they may seem antiquated and unfair to many residents – especially given the liberal leanings of many New Jersey voters and its multicultural population. One might also argue that the Constitution specifically states that the country should have no national religion – something that is repeatedly challenged (often without success) by individual states. 

That said, the United States Supreme Court has repeatedly stated that blue laws are, in fact, enforceable and constitutional. Recent religious discrimination lawsuits have shown that religious workers should get access to the age-old day of rest on Sundays, and one might argue that New Jersey’s blue laws guarantee at least one day off per week for average workers. 

American Dream Accuses Competitors of Filing a Meritless Lawsuit

Representatives of American Dream Mall have already denounced the lawsuit, calling it “meritless” and alleging that it represents a legal strategy employed by competing malls. Representatives of the mall also called it a “political stunt.” The outcome of this case seems unclear, and it may go to court. 

The Goal of the Universal Life Church’s Blog

Each month, various lawsuits test the nature of religious rights in this country. While the basis for many religious rights is the United States Constitution, there are still countless cases that question the exact nature of these rights. The Universal Life Church’s blog is focused on documenting the most noteworthy of these cases in an objective manner that can be easily understood by readers.