Religious Liberty
Tamer Mahmoud v. Monifa McKnight
On October 30, 2023, the ACLU and ACLU of Maryland filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit supporting the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in its efforts to ensure that its English curriculum is LGBTQ-inclusive.
Status: Ongoing
View Case
Learn About Religious Liberty
Featured
U.S. Supreme Court
Apr 2022
![FBI v. Fazaga Plaintiffs](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/Fazaga_scotus-1-Blog-600x400.jpg)
FBI v. Fazaga
In a case scheduled to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court on November 8, 2021, three Muslim Americans are challenging the FBI’s secret spying on them and their communities based on their religion, in violation of the Constitution and federal law. In what will likely be a landmark case, the plaintiffs — Yassir Fazaga, Ali Uddin Malik, and Yasser Abdelrahim — insist that the FBI cannot escape accountability for violating their religious freedom by invoking “state secrets.” The plaintiffs are represented by the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law, the ACLU of Southern California, the American Civil Liberties Union, the Council for American Islamic Relations, and the law firm of Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case
U.S. Supreme Court
May 2020
![Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania and New Jersey/Trump v. Pennsylvania and New Jersey](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania and New Jersey/Trump v. Pennsylvania and New Jersey
Whether the government had statutory authority under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to expand the conscience exemption to the contraceptive-coverage mandate.
View case
U.S. Supreme Court
Jun 2018
![David Mullins and Charlie Craig](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/WEB18-charlie-david-1160x864-600x447.jpg)
Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
Whether a business open to the public has a constitutional right to discriminate.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case
Oklahoma
May 2017
![Multi-faith symbols](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/web15_dem-antidiscrim-multifaith3-1160x864-600x447.jpg)
Fatihah v. Neal
The American Civil Liberties Union of Oklahoma, the national ACLU, and the Council on American-Islamic Relations Oklahoma Chapter filed a lawsuit against a “Muslim free” business on behalf of a U.S. Army Reserve member denied service. The lawsuit seeks equal access to public accommodations for Oklahomans of all faiths.
Status: Ongoing
View case
Stay informed about our latest work in the courts.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU's privacy statement.
All Cases
72 Religious Liberty Cases
Mississippi
Nov 2021
![Abraham House of God](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2021/11/Abraham-House-of-God-Horn-Lake-MS_Front-600x382.png)
ABRAHAM HOUSE OF GOD V. CITY OF HORN LAKE
Horn Lake officials unlawfully denied zoning approval for a proposed mosque due to anti-Muslim bias, according to a federal lawsuit filed in November 2021 by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Mississippi, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Just before holding a vote on the mosque’s site plan, one Horn Lake Alderman ominously warned, “if you let them build it, they will come” and encouraged his fellow board members to “stop it before it gets here.”
Status: Closed (Settled)
View case
![Abraham House of God](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2021/11/Abraham-House-of-God-Horn-Lake-MS_Front-600x382.png)
Mississippi
Religious Liberty
ABRAHAM HOUSE OF GOD V. CITY OF HORN LAKE
Horn Lake officials unlawfully denied zoning approval for a proposed mosque due to anti-Muslim bias, according to a federal lawsuit filed in November 2021 by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Mississippi, and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP. Just before holding a vote on the mosque’s site plan, one Horn Lake Alderman ominously warned, “if you let them build it, they will come” and encouraged his fellow board members to “stop it before it gets here.”
Nov 2021
Status: Closed (Settled)
View case
U.S. Supreme Court
Nov 2021
![Photo of Evan Minton sitting on a couch in an office.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2020/02/WEB20-Evan-Minton-WordPress-1110x740-600x400.jpg)
Dignity Health v. Minton
Evan Minton was turned away from a Dignity Health hospital because he is transgender. He filed a lawsuit against a Dignity Health medical center for withholding medical care because of a patient’s gender identity, amounting to sex discrimination in violation of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
Status: Closed
View case
![Photo of Evan Minton sitting on a couch in an office.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2020/02/WEB20-Evan-Minton-WordPress-1110x740-600x400.jpg)
U.S. Supreme Court
Religious Liberty
LGBTQ Rights
Dignity Health v. Minton
Evan Minton was turned away from a Dignity Health hospital because he is transgender. He filed a lawsuit against a Dignity Health medical center for withholding medical care because of a patient’s gender identity, amounting to sex discrimination in violation of California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
Nov 2021
Status: Closed
View case
U.S. Supreme Court
Oct 2021
![Does v. Mills](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Does v. Mills
Whether a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for Maine healthcare workers is unconstitutional because it does not include a religious exemption.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case
![Does v. Mills](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
U.S. Supreme Court
Religious Liberty
Does v. Mills
Whether a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for Maine healthcare workers is unconstitutional because it does not include a religious exemption.
Oct 2021
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case
Tennessee
Sep 2020
![Photo of wall at a public school with "In God We Trust" and a cross.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/Football Coach Training Room - Mural Shot (cropped)-600x453.jpg)
Butler v. Smith County
The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit challenging widespread promotion of religion by officials in the Smith County School System. Brought on behalf of two families, the lawsuit alleges that school officials regularly incorporate prayer into school events and proselytize students in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case
![Photo of wall at a public school with "In God We Trust" and a cross.](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/Football Coach Training Room - Mural Shot (cropped)-600x453.jpg)
Tennessee
Religious Liberty
Butler v. Smith County
The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee and the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit challenging widespread promotion of religion by officials in the Smith County School System. Brought on behalf of two families, the lawsuit alleges that school officials regularly incorporate prayer into school events and proselytize students in violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
Sep 2020
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case
U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2020
![Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel
Whether certain teachers at religious schools are covered by the “ministerial exception,” which gives religious institutions the constitutional authority to discriminate in the selection of faith leaders.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case
![Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
U.S. Supreme Court
Religious Liberty
Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru and St. James School v. Biel
Whether certain teachers at religious schools are covered by the “ministerial exception,” which gives religious institutions the constitutional authority to discriminate in the selection of faith leaders.
Feb 2020
Status: Closed (Judgment)
View case