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Small v. Memphis Light, Gas & Water

Petition for certiorari denied on April 5, 2021
Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
19-1388 6th Cir. N/A N/A N/A N/A OT 2020

Issue: Whether Trans World Airlines Inc. v. Hardison, which stated that employers suffer an “undue hardship” in accommodating an employee’s religious exercise whenever doing so would require them “to bear more than a de minimis cost,” misinterprets 42 U.S.C. § 2000e(j) – which specifies that “‘religion’ includes all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief, unless an employer demonstrates that he is unable to reasonably accommodate to an employee’s or prospective employee’s religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer’s business” – and should be overruled.

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
Jun 15 2020Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 20, 2020)
Jul 10 2020Blanket Consent filed by Petitioner, Jason Small.
Jul 17 2020Brief amici curiae of Muslim Advocates and The Sikh Coalition filed.
Jul 17 2020Brief amici curiae of Christian Legal Society, National Association of Evangelicals, Association of Christian Schools International, Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance, Queens Federation of Churches filed.
Jul 20 2020Brief amici curiae of Religious Liberty Scholars et al. filed.
Jul 20 2020Brief amici curiae of National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs, et al. filed.
Aug 05 2020DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2020.
Aug 19 2020Response Requested. (Due September 18, 2020)
Sep 01 2020Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 18, 2020 to October 19, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
Sep 01 2020Response to motion from petitioner Jason Small filed.
Sep 03 2020Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted in part; the time is extended to and including October 16, 2020.
Oct 16 2020Brief of respondent Memphis Light, Gas & Water in opposition filed.
Nov 03 2020Reply of petitioner Jason Small filed. (Distributed)
Nov 04 2020DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/20/2020.
Nov 18 2020Rescheduled.
Nov 30 2020DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/4/2020.
Dec 01 2020Rescheduled.
Dec 07 2020DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/11/2020.
Dec 09 2020Rescheduled.
Jan 04 2021DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/8/2021.
Jan 05 2021Rescheduled.
Jan 11 2021DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/15/2021.
Jan 12 2021Rescheduled.
Jan 19 2021DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/22/2021.
Jan 19 2021Rescheduled.
Feb 12 2021DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/19/2021.
Feb 22 2021DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/26/2021.
Mar 01 2021DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/5/2021.
Mar 15 2021DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/19/2021.
Mar 22 2021DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/26/2021.
Mar 29 2021DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/1/2021.
Apr 05 2021Petition DENIED. Justice Gorsuch, with whom Justice Alito joins, dissenting from the denial of certiorari. (Detached Opinion)