BURWELL v. HOBBY LOBBY STORES, 134 S. Ct. 2751 (2014)
- Argued:
- March 25, 2014
- Decided:
- June 30, 2014
- Decided by:
- Roberts Court, 2013
- Action:
- Affirmed (includes modified). Petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition.
Facts/Syllabus:
The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) prohibits the “Government [from] substantially burden[ing] a person’s exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability” unless the Government “demonstrates that application of the burden to the person—(1) is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest; and (2) is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.” 42 U. S. C. §§2000bb–1(a), (b). As amended by the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA), RFRA covers “any exercise of religion, whether or not compelled by, or central to, a system of religious belief.” §2000cc–5(7)(A). The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), which, as relevant here, requires specified employers’ group health plans to furnish “preventive care and screenings” for women without “any cost sharing requirements,” 42 U. S. C. §300gg–13(a)(4). Congress did not specify what types of preventive care must be covered; it authorized the Health Resources and Services Administration, a component of HHS, to decide. Nonexempt employers are generally required to provide coverage for the 20 contraceptive methods approved by the Food and Drug Administration, including the 4 that may have the effect of preventing an already fertilized egg from developing any further by inhibiting its attachment to the uterus. Religious employers, such as churches, are exempt from this contraceptive mandate. HHS also effectively exempted religious nonprofit organizations with religious objections to providing coverage for contraceptive services. Under this accommodation, the insurance issuer must exclude contraceptive coverage from the employer’s plan and provide plan participants with separate payments for contraceptive services without imposing any cost-sharing requirements on the employer, its insurance plan, or its employee beneficiaries. In these cases, the owners of three closely held for-profit corporations have sincere Christian beliefs that life begins at conception and that it would violate their religion to facilitate access to contraceptive drugs or devices that operate after that point. In separate actions, they sued HHS and other federal officials and agencies (collectively HHS) under RFRA and the Free Exercise Clause, seeking to enjoin application of the contraceptive mandate insofar as it requires them to provide health coverage for the four objectionable contraceptives.
Concurring Opinion
Dissenting Opinion
HOSANNA-TABOR EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL v. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, et al., (2012)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
CHRISTIAN LEGAL SOCIETY CHAPTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, HASTINGS COLLEGE OF THE LAW, AKA HASTINGS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP v. LEO P. MARTINEZ et al., 561 U.S. 661 (2010)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
ALBERTO R. GONZALES, ATTORNEY GENERAL, et al. v. O CENTRO ESPIRITA BENEFICENTE UNIAO DO VEGETAL et al., 546 U.S. 418 (2006)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF NEW YORK, INC., et al. v. VILLAGE OF STRATTON et al., 536 U.S. 150 (2002)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
CITY OF BOERNE v. P. F. FLORES, ARCHBISHOP OF SAN ANTONIO, AND UNITED STATES, 521 U.S. 507 (1997)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
CHURCH OF THE LUKUMI BABALU AYE, INC. AND ERNESTO PICHARDO v. CITY OF HIALEAH, 508 U.S. 520 (1993)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
LAMB’S CHAPEL AND JOHN STEIGERWALD v. CENTER MORICHES UNION FREE SCHOOL DISTRICT et al., 508 U.S. 384 (1993)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
EMPLOYMENT DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES OF OREGON, et al. v. SMITH et al., 494 U.S. 872 (1990)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
JIMMY SWAGGART MINISTRIES v. BOARD OF EQUALIZATION OF CALIFORNIA, 493 U.S. 378 (1990)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
FRAZEE v. ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY et al., 489 U.S. 829 (1989)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
EMPLOYMENT DIVISION, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES OF THE STATE OF OREGON, et al. v. SMITH, 485 U.S. 660 (1988)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
RICHARD E. LYNG, SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE, et al. v. NORTHWEST INDIAN CEMETERY PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION et al., 485 U.S. 439 (1988)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
O’LONE, ADMINISTRATOR, LEESBURG PRISON COMPLEX, et al. v. ESTATE OF SHABAZZ et al., 482 U.S. 342 (1987)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
HOBBIE v. UNEMPLOYMENT APPEALS COMMISSION OF FLORIDA et al., 480 U.S. 136 (1987)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
BOWEN, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, et al. v. ROY et al., 476 U.S. 693 (1986)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
GOLDMAN v. WEINBERGER, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE, et al., 475 U.S. 503 (1986)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
JENSEN, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES OF NEBRASKA, et al. v. QUARING, 472 U.S. 478 (1985)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
HEFFRON, SECRETARY AND MANAGER OF THE MINNESOTA STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY BOARD OF MANAGERS, et al. v. INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS, INC., et al., 452 U.S. 640 (1981)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
THOMAS v. REVIEW BOARD OF THE INDIANA EMPLOYMENT SECURITY DIVISION et al., 450 U.S. 707 (1981)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
JONES et al. v. WOLF et al., 443 U.S. 595 (1979)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
WOOLEY, CHIEF OF POLICE OF LEBANON, et al. v. MAYNARD ET UX., 430 U.S. 705 (1977)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
SERBIAN EASTERN ORTHODOX DIOCESE FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND CANADA et al. v. MILIVOJEVICH et al., 426 U.S. 696 (1976)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
JOHNSON, ADMINISTRATOR OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS, et al. v. ROBISON, 415 U.S. 361 (1974)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
CRUZ v. BETO, CORRECTIONS DIRECTOR, 405 U.S. 319 (1972)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
CLAY, AKA ALI v. UNITED STATES, 403 U.S. 698 (1971)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
DEWEY v. REYNOLDS METALS CO., 402 U.S. 689 (1971)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES et al. v. MARY ELIZABETH BLUE HULL MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH et al., 393 U.S. 440 (1969)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
SHERBERT v. VERNER et al., MEMBERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA EMPLOYMENT SECURITY COMMISSION, et al., 374 U.S. 398 (1963)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
GALLAGHER, CHIEF OF POLICE OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, et al. v. CROWN KOSHER SUPER MARKET OF MASSACHUSETTS, INC., et al., 366 U.S. 617 (1961)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
BRAUNFELD et al. v. BROWN, COMMISSIONER OF POLICE OF PHILADELPHIA, et al., 366 U.S. 599 (1961)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
KRESHIK et al. v. SAINT NICHOLAS CATHEDRAL OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OF NORTH AMERICA, 363 U.S. 190 (1960)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
KEDROFF ET AL. v. SAINT NICHOLAS CATHEDRAL OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA, 344 U.S. 94 (1952)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
UNITED STATES v. BALLARD et al., 322 U.S. 78 (1944)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
FOLLETT v. TOWN OF MCCORMICK, 321 U.S. 573 (1944)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
MURDOCK v. PENNSYLVANIA (CITY OF JEANNETTE), 319 U.S. 105 (1943)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
MINERSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BOARD OF EDUCATION OF MINERSVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT, et al. v. GOBITIS et al., 310 U.S. 586 (1940)
- Lower Court Ruling:
- Overruled
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
CANTWELL et al. v. CONNECTICUT, 310 U.S. 296 (1940)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
THE LATE CORPORATIONN OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS v. UNITED STATES., 136 U.S. 1 (1890)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
TERRETT AND OTHERS V TAYLOR AND OTHERS, 13 U.S. 43 (1815)
- Related Sub-Topic:
- Free Exercise
Topics: Free Exercise, Freedom of Religion
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