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The issue referenced above stemmed from an incident involving Pastor David Jones and his wife, Mary, who had been conducting weekly Bible study sessions at their home in Bonita, California (which is part of San Diego County). Apparently, a car belonging to a visitor of one of the Jones' neighbors was dinged by that of an attendee of the Jones' Bible study group, and (although Pastor Jones paid for the damage) the mishap triggered a complaint to local officials. In April 2009, an enforcement officer from the county Department of Planning and Land Use questioned the Joneses and determined, based on the nature and size of the activity taking place at the Jones residence, that their Bible study group constituted a religious assembly under county regulations, and he issued the Joneses a warning that they would either have to cease conducting the study sessions at their home or obtain a major [land] use permit from the county (the latter described as a process that could cost tens of thousands of dollars). The Joneses maintained that the county's action violated their First Amendment rights to freedom of religion, and the issue drew widespread attention from those who asserted that the Joneses had been unfairly targeted because the activity taking place at their home was religious in nature. In late May 2009, county officials overturned the warning issued to the Joneses the previous month, stating that the land use code governing what constitutes a religious assembly was not specific and that the Joneses could continue holding Bible study sessions at their home without the need to obtain a permit: On 29 May 2009, Walt Ekard, Chief Administrative Officer for the County of San Diego, issued the following statement on the matter:
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