| Case
Name |
Year | Decision
of the Court | Topic
Group(s) | |
| Bunn v. North Carolina, 336 U.S. 942 (appeal dismissed for want of substantial federal question) | 1949 | Upheld law prohibiting handling of poisonous reptiles as applied to a church. |
Discrimination Against Religion
Snake Handling
| |
| McKnight v. Bd. of Pub. Educ., 341 U.S. 913 (appeal dismissed for want of a substantial federal question) | 1951 | Public school may deny equal access to facilities sought by religious organizations. |
Discrimination Against Religion
| |
| Fowler v. Rhode Island, 345 U.S. 67 | 1953 | Ordinance prohibiting religious speech in public park but not church services, violates First Amendment. |
Discrimination Against Religion
Jehovah's Witnesses
Religious Speech
| |
| Hernandez v. Veterans' Administration, 415 U.S. 391 | 1974 | Constitutional challenge by conscientious objectors to denial of veteran educational benefits not barred by statute. |
Discrimination Against Religion
Military Service
Vouchers
| |
| Johnson v. Robison, 415 U.S. 361 | 1974 | Statute which grants educational benefits to military draftees, but not to draftees who perform civilian alternative service, is constitutional. |
Discrimination Against Religion
Military Service
Vouchers
| |
| Larson v. Valente, 456 U.S. 228 | 1982 | Disallowed state law requiring only certain religious organizations to make reports. |
Charitable Solicitation
Discrimination Against Religion
| |
| Rusk v. Espinosa, 456 U.S. 951 (summarily aff'd) | 1982 | Striking down ordinance that required officials to distinguish between "spiritual" and temporal religious purposes. |
Charitable Solicitation
Church Autonomy
Discrimination Against Religion
| |
| Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. City of Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520 | 1993 | *Municipal ordinance targeting Santerians ritual sacrifice of animals violates Free Exercise Clause. |
Discrimination Against Religion
Zoning/Land Use Regulation
| |
| Locke v. Davey, 540 U.S. 712 | 2004 | Student who earned state scholarship to attend any accredited institution of higher education in state, may be denied the right to use the funding to seek a degree in theology; Free Exercise Clause not violated. |
Discrimination Against Religion
Government Benefit to Religious Entities
| |
