Citation. 494 U.S. 872, 110 S.Ct. 1595, 108 L.Ed.2d 876 (1990). Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiffs challenged denial of unemployment benefits due to religious use of peyote, arguing the denial violated their rights under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. . Synopsis of Rule of Law. An individual’s religious beliefs do not excuse him from compliance with an otherwise valid law prohibiting conduct that the state is free to regulate. ...
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Employment Division, Department of Human Resources of Oregon v. Smith
Citation494 U.S. 872, 110 S. Ct. 1595, 108 L. Ed. 2d 876, 52 FEP Cases 855 (1990) Brief Fact Summary. The Respondents, Yoder and other members of a Wisconsin Amish community (Respondents) took issue with the State’s compulsory education law, maintaining that keeping children in school until the age of sixteen was against their religious principals, in violation of the Free Exercise Clause. Synopsis of Rule of Law. When a true religious interest exists, a state cannot enforce a law, which abrogates that interest, provided the public interest in enforcing the law is not otherwise burde ...
Employment Division, Department of Human Resources of Oregon v. Smith
Citation494 U.S. 872, 110 S. Ct. 1595, 108 L. Ed. 2d 876, 1990 U.S. Brief Fact Summary. Smith (Respondent) was denied unemployment benefits because he uses peyote as part of his religion. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Free exercise of religion does not preclude adherence to valid, nondiscriminatory laws and regulations. ...
Smith v. Providence Health & Services
Citation361 Or. 456, 393 P.3d 1106 Brief Fact Summary. Plaintiff suffered permanent brain damage resulting from a stroke. He sued defendant-doctors, who allegedly failed to follow up on his stroke symptoms and thereby caused him to lose a 33-percent chance of recovering from the stroke. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Under Oregon law, a loss of a substantial chance of a better medical outcome is a cognizable injury in a claim of medical malpractice. ...
Employment Division, Department of Human Resources v. Smith
Citation494 U.S. 872 (1990) Brief Fact Summary. The respondents challenged the state practice of including religiously inspired peyote use within the reach of its general criminal prohibition on use of that drug on the ground that it violates the First Amendment. Synopsis of Rule of Law. A State could not condition the availability of unemployment insurance on an individual’s willingness to forgo conduct required by his religion. ...
Employment Division v. Smith
Citation494 U.S. 872, 110 S.Ct. 1595, 108 L.Ed.2d 876 (1990). Brief Fact Summary. Two counselors for a private drug rehabilitation organization ingested peyote (a powerful hallucinogen) as part of their religious ceremonies as members of the Native American Church. They were fired and filed a claim for unemployment compensation, which was denied by the state. Synopsis of Rule of Law. Generally applicable laws not targeting specific religious practices do not violate the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. ...
Employment Division, Dept. of Human Resources v. Smith
Citation494 U.S. 872,110 S. Ct. 1595,108 L. Ed. 2d 876,1990 U.S. Brief Fact Summary. The Supreme Court of the United States (Supreme Court) held that Oregon could prohibit the religious use of the drug peyote and such prohibition was permissible under the Free Exercise Clause of the United States Constitution (Constitution). Synopsis of Rule of Law. The free exercise of religion means first and foremost, the right to believe and profess whatever religious doctrine one desires. But the “exercise of religion” often involves not only belief and profession, but the performance of (o ...
Employment Division, Department of Human Resources v. Smith
Citation494 U.S. 872, 110 S. Ct. 1595, 108 L. Ed. 2d 876, 1990 U.S. 2021. Brief Fact Summary. The Respondent, Smith (Respondent), sought unemployment compensation benefits after he was fired from his job for using peyote in a religious ceremony. The Oregon Supreme Court ruled that the Respondent should be awarded unemployment compensation as his right to free exercise of religion was violated. The Petitioner, the Employment Division, Department of Human Resources (Petitioner), appeal the case. Synopsis of Rule of Law. The right of free exercise does not relive an individual of the obligatio ...
City of Boerne v. Flores
Citation521 U.S. 507, 117 S. Ct. 2157, 138 L. Ed. 2d 624, 1997 U.S. 4035. Brief Fact Summary. A church bishop was denied a building permit by the government and challenged his denial under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (the RFRA). The RFRA required the government to show a compelling state interest any time it substantially burdened religion. Synopsis of Rule of Law. While preventative laws are sometimes appropriate remedial measures under section five of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution (Constitution), there must always be congruence between the means used ...
Wisconsin v. Yoder
Citation22 Ill.406 U.S. 205, 92 S. Ct. 1526, 32 L. Ed. 2d 15 (1972) Brief Fact Summary. The Respondents, Yoder and other members of a Wisconsin Amish community (Respondents) took issue with the State’s compulsory education law, maintaining that keeping children in school until the age of sixteen was against their religious principals, in violation of the Free Exercise Clause. Synopsis of Rule of Law. When a true religious interest exists, a state cannot enforce a law, which abrogates that interest, provided the public interest in enforcing the law is not otherwise burdened. ...
City of Boerne v. Flores
Citation521 U.S. 507, 117 S. Ct. 2157, 138 L. Ed. 2d 624, 1997 U.S. Brief Fact Summary. The Archbishop of San Antonio challenged a city ordinance of Boerne under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (“RFRA”). The Respondent argued the ordinance is an unconstitutional exercise of congressional power under Section: 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution (Constitution). Synopsis of Rule of Law. Congressional action under Section: 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution may be remedial or preventative in nature, but it may only enforce constitutio ...