Religious Communities

Protecting the right to live, teach and organize according to the dictates of a religion’s faith.

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Religious communities, institutions, and schools have the right to live, teach, and organize according to the dictates of their faith. Unfortunately, the rights of many religious communities are under attack, sometimes simply because they stand out from the rest of society. This includes the right of religious communities to select their own leaders and employees free from government interference. Becket’s landmark victory in the 9-0 Supreme Court decision Hosanna-Tabor v. EEOC guarantees this right to religious communities.

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Religious Communities Cases

Use the simple filters to explore our cases in this practice area, or visit our Cases Page to search our entire database.

InterVarsity Christian Fellowship  v. Wayne State University

The Intervarsity Christian Fellowship student group has been at the Michigan’s Wayne State University campus for over 75 years, holding Bible studies, hosting discussions on important campus issues, and providing a community for all students. Its goal has always been ...
Case Status:
Active
Becket Role:
Counsel
Deciding Court:
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Practice Area(s):
Education, Free Speech, Religious Communities

East Texas Baptist University & Houston Baptist University v. Azar

When a government mandate threatened their Baptist beliefs, two Texas universities were forced to court to defend their religious freedom. The 2011 HHS Mandate forced religious non-profits like the to either violate their faith-driven mission by providing services, such as the ...
Case Status:
Won
Becket Role:
Counsel
Deciding Court:
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
Practice Area(s):
Education, Individual Freedom, Religious Communities