Religious Law

9th Circuit upholds ban on conversion therapy for minors in First Amendment challenge

Washington state’s ban on conversion therapy for minors does not violate the First or 14th Amendments, a federal appeals court ruled on Sept. 6.

Sep 7, 2022 12:55 PM CDT

Chemerinsky: Originalism has taken over the Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court term that ended on June 30 was the most originalist in American history. In case after case, the court professed that the meaning of a constitutional provision is to be determined by the original understanding at the time when it was adopted. Some of the justices—Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett—are self-avowed originalists. All of the conservatives often write their opinions in originalist language and sign on to expressly originalist decisions.

Sep 6, 2022 8:00 AM CDT

SCOTUS should uphold long-standing precedent in case involving objection to same-sex marriage, ABA says

The ABA is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to again reject arguments by private businesses that claim First Amendment exemptions from laws that prohibit discrimination in the provision of public accommodations.

Aug 22, 2022 9:23 AM CDT

Clergy members contend Florida abortion law violates their religious freedom; 5 suits are filed

Seven clergy members have filed five lawsuits in Florida contending that the state’s abortion restrictions burden their religious beliefs, speech and conduct.

Aug 2, 2022 3:17 PM CDT

Sporting a new beard, Justice Alito defends abortion decision, remarks on ‘growing hostility to religion’

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito is getting some attention for a recent speech and a new look—a beard described as “a work in progress” at the Volokh Conspiracy blog.

Jul 29, 2022 10:53 AM CDT

Judge blocks no-contact orders against Christian law students who discussed opposition to same-sex marriage

A federal judge has ordered the University of Idaho to rescind no-contact orders against three Christian law students who expressed their views against same-sex marriage at an LGBTQ event and a meeting concerning ABA accreditation.

Jul 7, 2022 12:24 PM CDT

Chemerinsky: This SCOTUS term moved the law ‘dramatically in a conservative direction’

The U.S. Supreme Court's October 2021 term was one of the momentous in history. The only analogy I can think of is 1937 for its dramatic changes in constitutional law. This is the first full term with Justice Amy Coney Barrett on the high court, and we saw the enormous effects of having a 6-3 conservative majority.

Jul 7, 2022 8:46 AM CDT

Supreme Court nears end of term amid conflict and discord

“What we have now is kind of a perfect storm,” says Stefanie Lindquist, a professor of law and political science at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University. “The court is sort of rattled by all the political instability that we’re all experiencing writ large.”

Jun 23, 2022 10:02 AM CDT

Supreme Court sees ‘discrimination against religion,’ strikes down state ban on aid to religious schools

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 6-3 Tuesday that Maine violated the free exercise clause when it banned state tuition assistance at schools that teach religion but not at most other private schools.

Jun 21, 2022 11:51 AM CDT

Supreme Court backlog is the largest in percentage terms since at least 1950

More than half of the cases on the U.S. Supreme Court’s docket have yet to be decided. As of Friday, the court had 33 opinions remaining, which amounts to 53% of its argued cases this term.

Jun 3, 2022 9:37 AM CDT

House reverses course on renaming federal courthouse to honor Black judge

The U.S. House of Representatives reversed course last week and voted to rename a federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, after the first Black judge on the Florida Supreme Court.

May 25, 2022 8:58 AM CDT

Judge cites challengers’ religious beliefs in blocking transgender health care requirements

A federal judge in North Dakota has blocked the federal government from requiring members of the Christian Employers Alliance to provide health coverage for gender transition services.

May 18, 2022 12:45 PM CDT

Federal judge blocks school from disciplining teacher if she outs transgender students to their parents

A federal judge in Kansas City, Kansas, has temporarily blocked a school district from disciplining a teacher who had religious objections to a policy that prevented her from outing transgender students to their parents.

May 17, 2022 3:04 PM CDT

Supreme Court rules for group seeking to fly Christian flag at Boston City Hall; Gorsuch takes bite at Lemon

The city of Boston violated the First Amendment rights of a Christian group when it refused to allow it to fly its flag outside the city hall, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday.

May 2, 2022 11:24 AM CDT

Gorsuch and Kavanaugh sour on Lemon endorsement test in praying football coach case

During oral arguments Monday in the case of a praying football coach, U.S. Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh appeared ready to abandon a Lemon endorsement test in establishment clause cases.

Apr 26, 2022 1:30 PM CDT