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
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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)
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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.
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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)
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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
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All Cases
72 Religious Liberty Cases
U.S. Supreme Court
Nov 2019
![Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Whether the U.S. Constitution forces states to fund religious education in violation of longstanding state constitutional rules barring taxpayer support for religious activities.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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![Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
U.S. Supreme Court
Religious Liberty
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Whether the U.S. Constitution forces states to fund religious education in violation of longstanding state constitutional rules barring taxpayer support for religious activities.
Nov 2019
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2019
![American Legion v. American Humanist Association](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
American Legion v. American Humanist Association
Whether the government’s display of a 40-foot-tall Latin cross in the center of a busy intersection in Bladensburg, Maryland violates the separation of church and state.
Status: Ongoing
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![American Legion v. American Humanist Association](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
U.S. Supreme Court
Religious Liberty
American Legion v. American Humanist Association
Whether the government’s display of a 40-foot-tall Latin cross in the center of a busy intersection in Bladensburg, Maryland violates the separation of church and state.
Feb 2019
Status: Ongoing
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U.S. Supreme Court
Feb 2019
![Almighty Supreme Born Allah v. Milling, 17-8654](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Almighty Supreme Born Allah v. Milling, 17-8654
Whether the Supreme Court should grant certiorari to re-evaluate the qualified immunity doctrine, which protects government officials from liability for violating an individual’s constitutional rights in a wide range of situations.
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![Almighty Supreme Born Allah v. Milling, 17-8654](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
U.S. Supreme Court
Religious Liberty
Almighty Supreme Born Allah v. Milling, 17-8654
Whether the Supreme Court should grant certiorari to re-evaluate the qualified immunity doctrine, which protects government officials from liability for violating an individual’s constitutional rights in a wide range of situations.
Feb 2019
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U.S. Supreme Court
Jan 2019
![April Miller and Karen Roberts](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/lib15-millervdavis-1160x864-600x447.jpg)
Miller v. Davis
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic marriage equality ruling in 2015, Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis refused to issue any marriage licenses because of her personal, religious opposition to marriage for same-sex couples. The ACLU and the ACLU of Kentucky won a preliminary injunction on behalf of Rowan County couples enabling them to marry.
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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![April Miller and Karen Roberts](https://assets.aclu.org/live/uploads/2023/01/lib15-millervdavis-1160x864-600x447.jpg)
U.S. Supreme Court
Religious Liberty
LGBTQ Rights
Miller v. Davis
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic marriage equality ruling in 2015, Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis refused to issue any marriage licenses because of her personal, religious opposition to marriage for same-sex couples. The ACLU and the ACLU of Kentucky won a preliminary injunction on behalf of Rowan County couples enabling them to marry.
Jan 2019
Status: Closed (Judgment)
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Jun 2018
![FFRF v. Concord Community Schools](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
FFRF v. Concord Community Schools
In October 2015, the ACLU, ACLU of Indiana, and Freedom From Religion Foundation represented a student and his father in a constitutional challenge to an Indiana public school’s annual “Christmas Spectacular.”
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![FFRF v. Concord Community Schools](https://www.aclu.org/wp-content/themes/aclu-wp/img/fallback-case-gavel.png)
Religious Liberty
FFRF v. Concord Community Schools
In October 2015, the ACLU, ACLU of Indiana, and Freedom From Religion Foundation represented a student and his father in a constitutional challenge to an Indiana public school’s annual “Christmas Spectacular.”
Jun 2018
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