Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Burwell
Holding
As applied to closely held corporations, the regulations promulgated by the Department of Health and Human Services requiring employers to provide their female employees with no-cost access to contraception violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Judgment
Affirmed, 5-4, in an opinion by Samuel Alito on Jun 30, 1914. Justice Ginsburg filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Sotomayor joined, and which Justice Breyer and Justice Kagan joined to all but Part III-C-1. Justice Breyer and Justice Kagan filed a dissenting opinion.
Issue: Whether the religious owners of a family business, or their closely held, for-profit corporation, have free exercise rights that are violated by the application of the contraceptive-coverage mandate of the Affordable Care Act.
Sep 19, 2013Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due October 21, 2013)
Oct 11, 2013Brief amicus curiae of Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence filed.
Oct 21, 2013Brief of respondents Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al. filed.Oct 21, 2013Brief amici curiae of Michigan, Ohio, and 16 Other States filed.Oct 21, 2013Brief amici curiae of Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, et al. filed. VIDED.Oct 21, 2013Brief amici curiae of Association of American Physicians & Surgeons, et al. filed.Oct 21, 2013Brief amicus curiae of American Jewish Committee (AJC) filed. VIDED.Nov 4, 2013DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 26, 2013.
Nov 4, 2013Reply of petitioners Conestoga Wood Specialties Corporation, et al. filed. (Distributed)Nov 12, 2013Letter of November 12, 2013, from counsel for petitioners received. (Distributed)
Nov 26, 2013Petition GRANTED. The petition for a writ of certiorari in No. 13-354. The cases are consolidated and a total of one hour is allotted for oral argument.
Dec 3, 2013Letter from counsel for Sebelius, Sec. of H&HS, et al. regarding briefing filed. VIDED
Dec 3, 2013Letter from counsel for petitioner Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp., et al. regarding briefing filed.
Dec 3, 2013Letter from counsel for respondents Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., et al. regarding briefing. VIDED
Dec 5, 2013Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the respondents.
Dec 6, 2013All briefs for an amicus curiae must be filed on or before Tuesday, January 28, 2014. An amicus curiae brief in support of the Government or in support of neither party shall bear a light green cover, and an amicus curiae brief in support of a non-Government party shall bear a dark green cover. An amicus curiae may file only a single brief in case Nos. 13-354 and 13-356. VIDED
Dec 6, 2013Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioners.
Jan 8, 2014SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, March 25, 2014. VIDED
Jan 10, 2014Brief of petitioners Conestoga Wood Specialties Corporation, et al. filed.
Jan 10, 2014Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed.)
Jan 17, 2014Record received from U.S.C.A. 3rd Circuit, the record is electronic.
Jan 23, 2014Brief amici curiae of Pacific Legal Foundation, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 23, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Tri Valley Law, PC in support of non-Government parties filed.
Jan 24, 2014Brief amici curiae of Azusa Pacific University, et al. in support of neither party filed. VIDED.Jan 24, 2014Brief amici curiae of Center for Constitutional Jurisprudence, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 24, 2014Brief amici curiae of Reproductive Research Audit in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amici curiae of Senators Orrin G. Hatch, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amici curiae of Democrats for Life of America and Bart Stupak in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amici curiae of Michigan, Ohio, and 18 Other States in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amici curiae of Drury Development Corp., et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Evangelicals in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amicus curiae of American Freedom Law Center in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Texas Black Americans for Life, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Hon. Daniel H. Branch in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amici curiae of Church-State Scholars Frederick Mark Gedicks, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amici curiae of Liberty, Life, and Law Foundation, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 27, 2014Brief amici curiae of Free Speech for People, et al. in support of the Government filed.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Beverly Lahaye Institute and Janice Shaw Crouse, Ph.D. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of 67 Catholic Theologians and Ethicists in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Women Speak for Themselves in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Cato Institute in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Eberle Communications Group, Inc., et al. filed.
Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Knights of Columbus in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of U.S. Women's Chamber of Commerce, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Guttmacher Institute and Professor Sara Rosenbaum in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of American Jewish Committee, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Religious Organizations in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of National Women's Law Center, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of 91 Members of the United States House of Representatives in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Foreign and Comparative Law Experts Lawrence O. Gostin, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Corporate and Criminal Law Professors in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of California, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of National League of Cities, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Brennan Center for Justice at N.Y.U. School of Law in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc., et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Family Research Council in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Liberty Institute in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Breast Cancer Prevention Institute, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of 9 Academic Institutions, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of C12 Group, LLC in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs ("COPLA"), et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Liberty University and Liberty Counsel in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Constitutional Accountability Center filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc., et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of United States Senators Murray, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Christian Booksellers Association, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund, Inc., et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Foundation for Moral Law in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Inc., et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Rutherford Institute in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Ethics and Public Policy Center in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Constitutional Law Scholars in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of U.S. Senators Ted Cruz, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc., et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of 38 Protestant Theologians, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Electric Mirror, LLC, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of American Center for Law & Justice, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Westminster Theological Seminary in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Thomas More Law Center in support of nonGovernment parties filed. VIDEDJan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of John A. Ryan Institute for Catholic Social Thought in support of non-Government parties filed.
Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Judicial Education Project in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Jewish Social Policy Action Network filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of Independent Women's Forum in support of non-government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Historians and Legal Scholars in support of neither party filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of National Health Law Program, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Professor Emeritus of Law Charles E. Rice, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Freedom X, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of J.E. Dunn Construction Group, Inc., et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of The Center for Inquiry, et al. in support of the Government filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of David Boyle in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Christian Legal Society, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Julian Bond, et al. filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amicus curiae of International Evangelical Chaplain Endorsers in support of non-Government parties filed.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Women's Public Policy Groups, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Jan 28, 2014Brief amici curiae of Honorable Joseph B. Scarnati III, et al. in support of non-Government parties filed. VIDED.Feb 10, 2014Brief of respondents Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al. filed. (Distributed)Mar 2, 2014CIRCULATED.
Mar 12, 2014Reply of petitioners Conestoga Wood Specialties Corporation, et al. filed. (Distributed)Mar 20, 2014A total of 90 minutes is allotted for oral argument and the time is to be divided equally. VIDED
Mar 25, 2014Argued. For private parties: Paul D. Clement, Washington, D. C. For the federal government: Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. VIDED.Jun 30, 2014Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. No. 13-354, AFFIRMED. Alito, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas, JJ., joined. Kennedy, J., filed a concurring opinion. Ginsburg, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Sotomayor, J., joined, and in which Breyer and Kagan, JJ., joined as to all but Part III-C-1. Breyer and Kagan, JJ., filed a dissenting opinion. VIDED.
Aug 1, 2014JUDGMENT ISSUED.
Recommended Citation: Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. v. Burwell, SCOTUSblog, https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/conestoga-wood-specialties-corp-v-sebelius/