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Trustees of the New Life in Christ Church v. City of Fredericksburg, Virginia

Certiorari Denied

Petition for certiorari denied on January 18, 2022.

Docket No.21-164
Op. BelowVa. Cir. Ct.

Issue

(1) Whether civil authorities violate the First Amendment when they engage in their own interpretation of church doctrine to overrule a church"s determination that a particular official is a minister and, if so, whether summary reversal is appropriate; (2) whether, in the alternative, the Supreme Court should grant, vacate, and remand in light of Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, because Virginia has enacted a "system of individual exemptions" to its property tax law, and the city ""may not refuse to extend that [exemption] system to [the Church] without compelling reason.""

Proceedings & orders timeline

Aug 2, 2021
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 3, 2021)
Sep 3, 2021
Brief of respondent City of Fredericksburg, Virginia in opposition filed.
Sep 3, 2021
Brief amicus curiae of Coalition for Jewish Values filed.
Sep 3, 2021
Brief amici curiae of American Association of Christian Schools, et al. filed.
Sep 3, 2021
Brief amici curiae of The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, et al. filed.
Sep 3, 2021
Brief amici curiae of Kentucky, et al. filed.
Sep 3, 2021
Motion for leave to file amici brief filed by Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, et al.
Sep 22, 2021
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/8/2021.
Sep 22, 2021
Reply of petitioners Trustees of the New Life In Christ Church filed. (Distributed)
Oct 6, 2021
Rescheduled.
Oct 12, 2021
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/15/2021.
Oct 13, 2021
Rescheduled.
Oct 25, 2021
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/29/2021.
Nov 1, 2021
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/5/2021.
Nov 8, 2021
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/12/2021.
Nov 15, 2021
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/19/2021.
Nov 29, 2021
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/3/2021.
Dec 6, 2021
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/10/2021.
Jan 3, 2022
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/7/2022.
Jan 10, 2022
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/14/2022.
Jan 18, 2022
Motion for leave to file amici brief filed by Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, et al. GRANTED.
Jan 18, 2022
Petition DENIED. Justice Gorsuch, dissenting from the denial of certiorari. (Detached Opinion)

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