Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia Inc. v. Comer
| Docket No. | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15-577 | Apr 19, 2017 | Jun 26, 2017 | 7-2 | Roberts | OT 2016 |
Holding: The Missouri Department of Natural Resources' express policy of denying grants to any applicant owned or controlled by a church, sect or other religious entity violated the rights of Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc., under the free exercise clause of the First Amendment by denying the church an otherwise available public benefit on account of its religious status.
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 7-2, in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts on June 26, 2017. Chief Justice Roberts delivered the opinion of the Supreme Court, except as to Footnote 3. Justices Kennedy, Alito and Kagan joined that opinion in full, and Justices Thomas and Gorsuch joined except as to Footnote 3. Justice Thomas filed an opinion concurring in part, in which Justice Gorsuch joined. Justice Gorsuch filed an opinion concurring in part, in which Justice Thomas joined. Justice Breyer filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Ginsburg joined.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Symposium: Playground resurfacing case provides soft landing for state "no aid" provisions (Alice O'Brien, June 28, 2017)
- Symposium: Trinity Lutheran and Zelman Saved by footnote 3 or a dream come true for voucher advocates? (Frank Ravitch, June 27, 2017)
- Symposium: The crumbling wall separating church and state (Erwin Chemerinsky, June 27, 2017)
- Symposium: The Constitution provides a level playing field for people of faith (Hillary Byrnes, June 27, 2017)
- Symposium: The justices reach broad agreement, but on a narrow question (Fred Yarger, June 27, 2017)
- Symposium: Court ruling bolsters religious liberty beyond the playground (Nathan Diament, June 26, 2017)
- Symposium: Bad news from Trinity Lutheran Only two justices support the establishment clause (Leslie Griffin, June 26, 2017)
- Symposium: Putting some limits on the "play in the joints" (Erin Morrow Hawley, June 26, 2017)
- A "view" from the courtroom: A day for drama on the bench (Mark Walsh, June 26, 2017)
- Opinion analysis: Church prevails in funding dispute (Amy Howe, June 26, 2017)
- And then there were six the remaining cases (Amy Howe, June 23, 2017)
- And then there were nine the remaining decisions (Amy Howe, June 23, 2017)
- Argument analysis: Justices leaning toward a ruling for Trinity Lutheran on the merits (Amy Howe, April 19, 2017)
- Both sides urge court to go ahead in church-state case (Amy Howe, April 18, 2017)
- Missouri reverses course on aid to religious organizations (UPDATED) (Amy Howe, April 14, 2017)
- Argument preview: More than just a playground dispute (Amy Howe, April 12, 2017)
- Court releases April calendar (Amy Howe, February 17, 2017)
- Justices release March calendar (Amy Howe, February 3, 2017)
- Symposium: Gay rights, religious liberty and tire scraps? The inclusive Fourteenth Amendment path in Trinity Lutheran (Mark Rienzi, August 12, 2016)
- Symposium: Religious freedom, not religious discrimination (Richard B. Katskee, August 11, 2016)
- Symposium: Confronting a nativist past; protecting school-choices future (Richard Garnett, August 10, 2016)
- Symposium: Not on the taxpayers dime (Daniel Mach, August 10, 2016)
- Symposium: Ban on state funding of churches protects independence (Holly Hollman, August 9, 2016)
- Symposium: A soft landing at the Supreme Court (Hannah Smith and Luke Goodrich, August 9, 2016)
- Introduction: More than just a playground dispute (Amy Howe, August 8, 2016)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 11/04/2015 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due December 7, 2015) |
| 12/03/2015 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for petitioner. |
| 12/07/2015 | Brief amici curiae of Association of Christian Schools International, and Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod filed. |
| 12/07/2015 | Brief amicus curiae of The American Center for Law & Justice filed. |
| 12/07/2015 | Brief amici curiae of Nevada, et al. filed. |
| 12/07/2015 | Brief of respondent Sara Parker Pauley, Director, Missouri Department of Natural Resources in opposition filed. |
| 12/07/2015 | Brief amicus curiae of Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission filed. |
| 12/07/2015 | Brief amicus curiae of Foundation for Moral Law filed. (Distributed) |
| 12/18/2015 | Reply of petitioner Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. filed. |
| 12/22/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 8, 2016. |
| 01/11/2016 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 15, 2016. |
| 01/15/2016 | Petition GRANTED. |
| 02/09/2016 | The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including April 14, 2016. |
| 02/09/2016 | The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including June 28, 2016. |
| 03/17/2016 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioner. |
| 04/14/2016 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed.) |
| 04/14/2016 | Brief of petitioner Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. filed. |
| 04/18/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of World Vision, Inc. filed. |
| 04/19/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The American Center for Law & Justice filed. |
| 04/20/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America filed. |
| 04/20/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Justice and Freedom Fund filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of American Jewish Committee in support of neither party filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Association of Christian Schools International, and Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Bronx Household of Faith filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of American Association of Christian Schools filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Members of Congress filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, et al. filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Institute for Justice filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Douglas County School District, et al. filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Evangelicals filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Pacific Legal Foundation filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Nevada, et al. filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The General Council of the Assemblies of God filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Belmont Abbey College filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Law and Religion Practitioners filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The Cato Institute filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Christian Legal Society, et al. filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Colorado filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amici curiae of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, et al. filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Liberty Counsel, et al. filed. |
| 04/21/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of WallBuilders, Inc. filed. |
| 06/28/2016 | Brief of respondent Sara Parker Pauley, Director, Missouri Department of Natural Resources filed. |
| 07/05/2016 | Brief amici curiae of American Civil Liberties Union, et al. filed. |
| 07/05/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Religious and Civil Rights Organizations filed. |
| 07/05/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Legal and Religious Historians filed. |
| 07/05/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and General Synod of The United Church of Christ filed. |
| 07/05/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. filed. |
| 07/05/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of The National Education Association filed. |
| 07/22/2016 | Application (16A78) to extend the time to file a reply brief from July 28, 2016 to August 12, 2016, submitted to Justice Alito. |
| 07/25/2016 | Application (16A78) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until August 12, 2016. |
| 08/12/2016 | Reply of petitioner Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. filed. |
| 02/17/2017 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Wednesday, April 19, 2017. |
| 02/24/2017 | Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit. |
| 03/02/2017 | Record received from the U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit (1 box). |
| 03/02/2017 | CIRCULATED. |
| 04/14/2017 | Request from the Clerk that the parties submit their views on whether this case is affected by the press release relating to access to Missouri grant programs issued by Governor Greitens on April 13, 2017. The parties' views should be in the form of a letter delivered to the Court and served upon counsel by noon on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. |
| 04/18/2017 | Letter of petitioner pursuant to April 14, 2017 request of Clerk filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/18/2017 | Letter of respondent pursuant to April 14, 2017 request of Clerk filed. (Distributed) |
| 04/19/2017 | Argued. For petitioner: David A. Cortman, Lawrenceville, Ga. For respondent: James R. Layton, Jefferson City, Mo. |
| 06/26/2017 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court, except as to footnote 3. Kennedy, Alito, and Kagan, JJ., joined that opinion in full, and Thomas and Gorsuch, JJ., joined except as to footnote 3. Thomas, J., filed an opinion concurring in part, in which Gorsuch, J., joined. Gorsuch, J., filed an opinion concurring in part, in which Thomas, J., joined. Breyer, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Sotomayor, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Ginsburg, J., joined. |
| 07/28/2017 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |
| 08/07/2017 | Record from the U.S.C.A. for the Eight Circuit has been returned. |