Our Cases

Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist v. Frederic (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed amicus briefs urging courts to make clear that federal protections for religious exercise do not depend on courts’ own assessment of the significance of a person’s religious practices.

Fitzmaurice v. City of Quincy (Mass.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of the International Association of Fire Fighters and the Professional Fire Fighters of Massachusetts, urging the court to allow a statue of St. Florian in a public display honoring first responders.

St. Philip Neri Catholic Church v. Indianapolis Historic Preservation Commission (S.D. Ind.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of Rev. Patrick E. Reidy, C.S.C., urging the court to reject a local government’s efforts to prevent a Catholic parish in Indianapolis from stewarding its church property as its religious beliefs require.

Summit Church-Homestead Heights Baptist Church v. Chatham County, North Carolina Board of Commissioners (4th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief urging the Fourth Circuit to confirm that courts cannot effectively remedy faith communities’ inability to worship after the fact.

Arroyo-Castro v. Gasper (2d Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of a public-school teacher, urging the court to safeguard her religious expression in the workplace.

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. President United States of America (3d Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of the federal government and the Little Sisters of the Poor, urging the Third Circuit to affirm that federal agencies may take a cautious approach to regulation when federally protected rights are at stake.

St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of a coalition of religious freedom and education organizations, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to put an end to religious discrimination in public-benefit programs.

Lost Lake Holdings LLC v. Town of Forestburgh (2d Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of four Jewish organizations, urging the court to protect religious communities from discriminatory land-use practices.

Columbus City School District v. State of Ohio (Franklin Cnty. Ct. Com. Pl.)

Our Clinic and Notre Dame’s Education Law Project filed amicus briefs in support of Ohio’s EdChoice Scholarship Program, urging Ohio courts to reject attempts to enforce a state no-funding provision with a history of anti-Catholic discrimination.

Theis v. InterMountain Education Service District (9th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of a Christian public-school employee, urging the court to confirm that the First Amendment protects religious expression in the workplace.

Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed amicus briefs on behalf of the Bruderhof and Muslim, Jewish, and Sikh organizations, explaining that the availability of damages for incarcerated individuals whose religious freedom is infringed is especially important for incarcerated religious minorities.

OKPLAC v. Statewide Virtual Charter Board (Okla. City Cnty.)

Our Clinic assisted the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa in efforts to secure authorization to operate the nation’s first religious charter school and defended the school against lawsuits challenging the participation of faith-based educators in the charter-school program.

Apache Stronghold v. United States of America (9th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed amicus briefs supporting robust protection for the religious freedom of Indigenous communities to worship at sacred sites like Oak Flat.

St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond (U.S.)

Our Clinic assisted the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa in efforts to secure authorization to operate the nation’s first religious charter school and defended the school against lawsuits challenging the participation of faith-based educators in the charter-school program.

Jarrard v. Sheriff of Polk County (11th Cir.)

Our Clinic successfully represented Stephen Jarrard in his federal appeal challenging his exclusion from a county jail’s volunteer ministry program and secured his right to return to the program.

Owens v. Schuette (6th Cir.)

Our Clinic represents Marvin Owens in his appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit challenging the denial of monetary damages to remedy violations of his religious exercise while incarcerated at a county jail.

Spirit of Aloha Temple v. County of Maui (9th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of a Hindu organization’s right to use its property for religious practice under federal law.

Iranian Christian Convert Defensive Asylum (Santa Ana Immigration Court)

Our Clinic successfully secured asylum for an Iranian citizen who converted to Christianity and faced severe persecution in Iran due to his religious beliefs.

Chinese Uyghur Muslim Affirmative Asylum (Chicago Asylum Office)

Our Clinic successfully secured asylum for a young Uyghur Muslim who faced severe persecution in her home country of China.

Perez v. City of San Antonio (5th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed amicus briefs on behalf of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers and Carol Logan, urging the court to protect an indigenous sacred site in San Antonio, Texas.

Afghan Hazara Shi'a Muslim Defensive Asylum (Sacramento Immigration Court)

Our Clinic successfully obtained deferral of removal under Article 3 of the Convention Against Torture (CAT) for a Hazara Shi’a Muslim man facing targeted violence and torture if returned to Afghanistan.

Mendham Methodist Church v. Morris County (D.N.J.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty, urging the court to prohibit Morris County from excluding houses of worship from its historic preservation program solely because they are religious.

St. Dominic Academy v. Makin (1st Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of the National Council of Young Israel and the Notre Dame Education Law Project in support of a religious school’s freedom to educate in accordance with its faith.

St. Timothy's Episcopal Church v. City of Brookings (D. Or.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, urging the court to protect the church’s freedom to minister to those in need.

 

Cedar Park Assembly of God of Kirkland v. Kreidler (9th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of a Pentecostal church’s efforts to stop the State of Washington from forcing it to provide insurance coverage for employees' abortions in violation of its religious teachings.

Loffman v. California Department of Education (9th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of the California Catholic Conference in support of Jewish families and schools who have been barred by the State of California from receiving funds dedicated for special needs education solely because the schools are religious.

Thai Meditation Association v. City of Mobile (11th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of the Thai Meditation Association of Alabama, urging the court to meaningfully enforce federal law protecting religious exercise from substantial burdens in land-use regulation.

Walker v. Baldwin (7th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Bruderhof and Sikh and Muslim groups, explaining that the availability of damages for incarcerated individuals whose religious freedom is infringed is especially important for religious minorities.

Groff v. DeJoy (U.S.)

Our Clinic and Professor Doug Laycock filed amicus briefs urging the U.S. Supreme Court to restore federal statutory protections for employees seeking religious accommodations.

Emad v. Dodge County (7th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, urging the Court to protect congregate religious exercise in American prisons from government interference.

Loving v. Morton (2d Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of Sikh, Jewish, and Muslim groups, explaining that the availability of damages for incarcerated individuals whose religious freedom is infringed is especially important for religious minorities.

Natalia Jaramillo Sandoval v. Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in the Constitutional Court of Colombia, urging the court to protect religious expression in higher education and to prohibit the government from discriminating against religious student organizations.

Faith Bible Chapel v. Gregory Tucker (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of a religious school, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case and to ensure the continuing vitality of the ministerial exception’s protections.

Criminal Complaint by The World Uyghur Congress and The Uyghur Human Rights Project Against China

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of a criminal complaint filed against China for genocide and crimes against humanity under Argentina’s universal jurisdiction.

Peltier v. Charter Day School (4th Cir.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of a privately operated charter school, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case and reject an expansive interpretation of “state action” that endangers vital services provided by religious charitable groups.

Payne-Elliott v. Archdiocese of Indianapolis (Ind.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of a diocese of the Maronite Church and the Orthodox Church in America, urging the Indiana Supreme Court to protect the fundamental right of bishops to serve as the primary shepherds of the faithful without the interference of civil courts.

Carson v. Makin (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed amicus briefs on behalf of groups that support Catholic, Islamic, and Jewish schools, urging the Supreme Court to reject Maine’s exclusion of religious schools that engage in religious activity.

McNeary and Deaton v. Council for Better Education (Ky.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of EdChoice Kentucky, urging the court to uphold a school-choice program that provides educational opportunities to children and families most in need.

Smith v. Ward (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Religious Freedom Institute, urging the Supreme Court to ensure that federal protections for religious exercise in prison are meaningfully enforced.

Morris v. Centura Health (Colo. App.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Catholic Medical Association and the Coptic Medical Association of North America, urging the court to protect the fundamental right of religious healthcare professionals to practice medicine in accordance with their beliefs.

Shurtleff v. Boston (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief urging the Supreme Court to reject the City of Boston’s efforts to exclude private religious expression from public discourse.

Kennedy v. Bremerton School District (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief in support of a high school football coach’s private prayer, urging the Supreme Court to correct an outdated interpretation of the Establishment Clause that has sown disarray, confusion, and discrimination against protected religious speech and conduct.

Gordon College v. DeWeese-Boyd (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of Benedictine College and Franciscan University of Steubenville, urging the Supreme Court to protect the right of religious institutions of higher education to define and direct their religious missions without state interference.

Shavelson v. California Department of Health Care Services (N.D. Cal.)

Our Clinic filed an amicus brief on behalf of two organizations of Christian healthcare professionals, urging the court to uphold important restrictions on euthanasia—a practice that poses special concern for religious physicians.

Agudath Israel of America v. Cuomo (U.S.)

Our Clinic filed amicus briefs on behalf of several organizations and a legal scholar who work to protect religious freedom for religious minorities including Muslims, urging courts to enjoin New York restrictions that unlawfully target Orthodox Jewish communities.