Religious Law

Afternoon Briefs: Judges tosses transgender woman’s pageant bias suit; SCOTUS allows indoor church services

Judge tosses suit against pageant company by transgender woman U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman of Oregon has tossed a lawsuit by a transgender woman who accused a beauty pageant of discriminating against her by banning her from the competition. Anita Noelle Green had sought to compete in the Miss United…

Mar 1, 2021 4:50 PM CST

SCOTUS bars Alabama from executing inmate without pastor; Barrett joins with liberal justices in concurrence

The U.S. Supreme Court late Thursday refused to allow Alabama to execute an Alabama inmate if he is not allowed to have a pastor with him in the execution chamber.

Feb 12, 2021 11:22 AM CST

Barrett’s first SCOTUS opinion concurs in opening California churches with some restrictions

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett has written her first opinion, a concurrence in a decision Friday that allowed California churches to host indoor religious services with some restrictions. The court allowed the church services during an appeal.

Feb 8, 2021 9:42 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: DOJ drops suit over Yale admissions process; 7th Circuit allows courthouse Nativity scene

DOJ drops suit accusing Yale of bias against Asian, white applicants The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday dropped a lawsuit accusing Yale University of racially discriminating against many Asian and white applicants by considering race at multiple stages of its admissions process. The suit had been filed by the…

Feb 3, 2021 4:38 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Biden lifts transgender military ban; Boston doesn’t have to fly Christian flag, court says

Biden lifts transgender military ban President Joe Biden signed an executive order Monday that lifts the Trump administration’s ban on transgender people in the military. “What I’m doing is enabling all qualified Americans to serve their country in uniform,” Biden said as he signed the order. (The New York Times,…

Jan 25, 2021 4:27 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: 10 states file antitrust suit against Google; SCOTUS sides with churches

Antitrust suit targets Google as ad middleman Texas and nine other states have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google that contends that the search engine company suppressed competition in its business as a middleman for sellers and buyers for online ads. The Dec. 16 suit alleges that Google sought to…

Dec 16, 2020 4:38 PM CST

Supreme Court rules for Muslim men seeking damages for alleged no-fly-list retaliation

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that federal officials can be liable for money damages in their individual capacities for violations of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993.

Dec 10, 2020 11:23 AM CST

SCOTUS vacates judge’s ruling that allowed restrictions on religious services in California

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday vacated a decision that allowed restrictions on religious services in California and told a trial judge to reconsider the case. The court’s order told U.S. District Judge Jesus Bernal to reconsider his decision.

Dec 4, 2020 9:24 AM CST

Chemerinsky: COVID-19 ruling reveals much about the new Supreme Court

We are accustomed to major U.S. Supreme Court decisions in late June as the term winds to a conclusion; rarely, however, is there a blockbuster ruling a few minutes before midnight the night before Thanksgiving. But the court’s ruling Nov. 25 in Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, New York v. Cuomo is quite important and tells us a great deal about the new court.

Dec 3, 2020 9:14 AM CST

With Barrett in majority, Supreme Court lifts COVID-19 restrictions on religious services

In a 5-4 ruling Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court blocked two COVID-19 caps on attendance at religious services in New York.

Nov 30, 2020 11:09 AM CST

Alito: COVID-19 restrictions highlight disturbing trend of ‘lawmaking by executive fiat’

In a Federalist Society speech on Thursday, Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. said COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings and worship services highlight a disturbing trend of "lawmaking by executive fiat."

Nov 13, 2020 12:00 PM CST

Barrett asks about precedent in case involving LGBTQ discrimination and religious rights

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett asked questions that appeared to favor both sides during oral arguments Wednesday in a case involving LGBTQ discrimination and religious liberty.

Nov 5, 2020 12:32 PM CST

Barrett will join Supreme Court to hear blockbuster religious freedom case

The justices are reviewing Philadelphia’s decision to exclude Catholic Social Services, an agency of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, from its foster care system over the church agency’s refusal to abide by the city’s nondiscrimination policy.

Oct 29, 2020 3:14 PM CDT

Chemerinsky: SCOTUS considers whether religious freedom also means freedom to discriminate

On Nov. 4, the U.S. Supreme Court again will face one of the country’s most divisive constitutional issues: Does the First Amendment’s protection of speech and religion provide a basis for violating laws that prohibit discrimination against gays and lesbians?

Oct 29, 2020 10:27 AM CDT

Senate confirms Judge Amy Coney Barrett to Supreme Court

The U.S. Senate on Monday evening confirmed Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate approved Barrett by a vote of 52 to 48. The only Republican to vote against her confirmation was Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

Oct 26, 2020 7:20 PM CDT