News & Analysis as of

Religious Discrimination First Amendment Anti-Discrimination Policies

Meyers Nave

Ninth Circuit Rules on Caste as a Protected Class in CSU’s Anti-Discrimination Policy

Meyers Nave on

On March 12, 2025, the Ninth Circuit issued its decision in Kumar v. Koester, dismissing a constitutional challenge to a university’s anti-discrimination policy that added “caste” as a protected class. Effective January 1,...more

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP

Separation of Church and State: The Application of the Ministerial Exception to Certain Employment Laws

It is common knowledge among many human resources professionals that religious organizations generally are protected from religious discrimination lawsuits under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and most state...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Supreme Court Temporarily Halts Enforcement of New York’s COVID-related Occupancy Limits on Worship Services

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

Seyfarth Synopsis: On the eve of Thanksgiving, the Supreme Court granted various religious groups’ request to temporarily block enforcement of an Executive Order issued by the Governor of New York that imposes occupancy...more

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

Balancing Hospital Visitations and Religious Freedoms During a Pandemic

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC on

On October 20, 2020, the Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) settled two religious discrimination complaints involving access to clergy during the Public Health Emergency. Both complaints arose from a hospital’s failure to permit...more

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC

Department of Education Final Rule Covers Four Key Areas

Steptoe & Johnson PLLC on

The U.S. Department of Education has issued a final rule ("Final Rule") meant to clarify policies regarding freedom of speech, academic freedom, and Title IX exemptions. The Final Rule does four things: 1....more

Fisher Phillips

Web Exclusive - June 2018: The Top 18 Labor And Employment Law Stories

Fisher Phillips on

It’s hard to keep up with all the recent changes to labor and employment law. While the law always seems to evolve at a rapid pace, there have been an unprecedented number of changes for the past few years—and this past month...more

Miles & Stockbridge P.C.

Masterpiece Cakeshop: Considerations for Employers

On June 4, 2018, the United States Supreme Court issued its long-awaited opinion in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, ultimately siding with the baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Religious Institutions Update: June 2018 - Lex Est Sanctio Sancta

Holland & Knight LLP on

Since 1990, the U.S. Supreme Court has expressly construed a neutral law of general applicability as consistent with the free exercise clause. Deeming Colorado's public accommodations law just such a law, the Colorado Court...more

FordHarrison

U.S. Supreme Court Sides with Wedding Cake Baker in Gay Rights Case Based on Civil Rights Commission's Impermissible "Hostility"

FordHarrison on

On June 4, 2018, the United States Supreme Court, in a 7-2 ruling, found in favor of Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakes, who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. He cited religious beliefs condemning...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

The Supreme Court’s Decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop Provides Little Guidance on Intersection of Religious and LGBT Rights

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

In a largely symbolic ruling, in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of a cake shop owner who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple based on his...more

Franczek P.C.

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Baker Who Refused to Create Wedding Cake for a Same-Sex Marriage, but Does Not Open the Door for...

Franczek P.C. on

In a limited opinion issued, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Colorado baker who refused to create a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. However, the Court’s decision in the case, Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colo....more

Harris Beach Murtha PLLC

Cake, Art and Religious Freedom?

In a prior MuniBlog posting we covered a case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court involving a Colorado baker and concerns about non-discrimination laws and religious objections. In Masterpiece Cakeshop vs. Colorado Civil...more

Ward and Smith, P.A.

Supreme Court Update: Merchant Rights and the Masterpiece Cakeshop Case

Ward and Smith, P.A. on

In 2015, the United States Supreme Court issued its landmark decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, ruling that the Fourteenth Amendment precludes states from prohibiting the marriage of same-sex couples. In the past three...more

Sands Anderson PC

Discriminating on the Basis of Religious Belief: Limited Lessons for Governments and Businesses from Masterpiece Cakeshop

Sands Anderson PC on

The US Supreme Court decided yesterday what Court watchers thought might be a landmark case deciding whether the rights to free exercise of religion and free speech trumped the rights of gays and lesbians to have access to...more

Robinson+Cole RLUIPA Defense

SCOTUS Rules Baker Who Refused Wedding Cake To Same-Sex Couple Suffered Religious Discrimination

The Supreme Court issued its anticipated decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. ...more

Rumberger | Kirk

Did The Supreme Court Kick The Cake Down The Road In Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd., Et Al. V. Colorado Civil Rights Commission?

Rumberger | Kirk on

By a majority of 7–2, the Court ruled in favor of Colorado-based baker Jack Phillips, who in 2012 refused to sell to a same-sex couple a wedding cake intended for a celebration following the couple’s out-of-state marriage....more

Littler

The Supreme Court’s Ruling in Masterpiece Cakeshop: A Masterpiece on Dodging Key Constitutional Issues

Littler on

On June 4, 2018, the Supreme Court issued its decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. and Jack C. Phillips v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. In a 7-2 opinion authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the Court held that the...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

SCOTUS Rules Colorado Agency Violated Free Speech Rights in Wedding Cake Case

On June 4, 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States settled a controversy stemming from a bakery’s refusal to make a cake for a same-sex couple’s wedding reception. Justice Kennedy, writing for the majority, ruled that...more

Holland & Hart - Employers' Lawyers

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Christian Baker in Same-Sex Wedding Case Due to Colorado Commission’s Religious Hostility

The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 7-to-2 decision, overturned a Colorado public accommodation sexual orientation discrimination case that found that a Lakewood baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple violated the...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Supreme Court: Colorado’s Civil Rights Commission Anti-Religious Bias Violated Cake Baker’s Rights

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

The U.S. Supreme Court has issued a narrow ruling in favor of a baker who refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, No. 16-111 (June 4, 2018)....more

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

Supreme Court Decides Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission

On June 4, 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States decided Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, No. 16-111, holding that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission violated the Free Exercise Clause...more

Bowditch & Dewey

Let Them Eat Cake!

Bowditch & Dewey on

The competing interests of an individual’s First Amendment right to religious freedom and an individual’s right to be free from discrimination will be addressed by the Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) in the...more

Burr & Forman

Same-Sex Marriage and Tennessee Businesses

Burr & Forman on

In its first opportunity to apply Obergefell v. Hodges, the U.S. Supreme Court case holding same-sex marriage is a constitutional right, the Tennessee Court of Appeals recently held the state must recognize same-sex...more

23 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 1

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide