Cases by Topic Group
Jehovah's Witnesses, Sorted by Year, Click here to sort by Case Name.

Case Name	Year	Decision of the Court	Topic Group(s)
Coleman v. City of Griffin 302 U.S. 636 (appeal dismissed for want of substantial federal question)	1937	Upholding conviction of Jehovah's Witness under ordinance requiring prior written permission for literature distribution issued at discretion of city manager.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution
Lovell v. City of Griffin, 303 U.S. 444	1938	Ordinance prohibiting distribution of literature of any kind is unconstitutional because it abridges freedom of the press.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution
Schneider v. State of New Jersey, Town of Irvington, 308 U.S. 147	1939	Ordinance making it unlawful to distribute handbills on sidewalks, streets or any other public place is unconstitutional.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution
Cantwell v. Connecticut, 310 U.S. 296	1940	State may not unduly suppress communication of religious views under guise of conserving public peace, or deciding what is a legitimate "religion" for solicitation purposes; Free Exercise Clause applied to state and local governments through Fourteenth Amendment.	Incorporation by Fourteenth Amendment Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Speech
Minersville Sch. Dist. v. Gobitis, 310 U.S. 586	1940	A requirement that pupils salute the flag in daily school exercises is not violative of due process	Flag Salute Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Speech
Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire, 315 U.S. 568	1942	Cursing a public officer is not an exercise of religion or protected speech.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Speech
Busey v. Dist. of Columbia, 319 U.S. 579	1943	Conviction of Jehovah’s Witness for unlicensed selling of magazines on public sidewalks is vacated and remanded in light of Jones v. Opelika (1943), and Murdock v. Pennsylvania (1943).	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution
Douglas v. City of Jeannette,3 19 U.S. 157	1943	Case was not properly in federal court; same ordinance was dealt with in Murdock.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution Tax on Religion
Jamison v. Texas, 318 U.S. 413	1943	Ordinance prohibiting the dissemination of handbills is unconstitutional.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution
Largent v. Texas, 318 U.S. 418	1943	A city ordinance requiring permit to solicit orders for books is unconstitutional as applied to distribution of religious publications.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution
Martin v. City of Struthers, 319 U.S. 141	1943	Ordinance forbidding door-to-door distribution of handbills, circulars or other advertising matter is unconstitutional.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution
Murdock v. Pennsylvania, 319 U.S. 105	1943	The mere fact that religious literature is sold by itinerant preachers rather than donated does not transform evangelism into a commercial enterprise; tax is unconstitutional.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution Tax on Religion
Taylor v. Mississippi, 319 U.S. 583	1943	Overturning convictions of Jehovah's Witnesses arrested for advocating a refusal to salute flag.	Flag Salute Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Speech
West Virginia State Bd. of Educ. v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624	1943	School requirement to salute flag and recite pledge is invalid as applied to Jehovah's Witnesses because it denies freedom of speech and of belief.	Flag Salute Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Speech
Falbo v. United States, 320 U.S. 549	1944	Draft board's alleged error in classifying Jehovah's Witness as conscientious object rather than minister is no defense to board's order to report for national service; post-reporting review of the classification is sufficient due process.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Religious Liberty Military Service
Follett v. Town of McCormick, 321 U.S. 573	1944	Disallowed flat license tax on minister distributing religious material.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution Tax on Religion
Prince v. Massachusetts, 321 U.S. 158	1944	Statute forbidding boys under 12 and girls under 18 to sell magazines on streets or in public places is not unconstitutional as abridging freedom of religion.	Jehovah's Witnesses Parental Rights Religious Literature Distribution
Estep v. United States, 327 U.S. 114	1946	Draft board's refusal to classify Jehovah's Witness as minister is, after exhausting administrative remedies, subject to judicial review.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Service
Gibson v. United States, 329 U.S. 338	1946	Jehovah's Witness minister could appeal his classification without first appearing at induction camp.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Service Military Service
Marsh v. Alabama, 326 U.S. 501	1946	The more an owner opens property for public use, the more do his rights become circumscribed by First Amendment rights of those who use it.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution
Tucker v. Texas, 326 U.S. 517	1946	Statute making it an offense to distribute literature in government-owned town invalid.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution
Cox v. United States, 332 U.S. 442	1947	Courts have limited scope of review over board's classification of Jehovah's Witness as conscientious objector rather than minister.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Service
Saia v. New York, 334 U.S. 558	1948	In absence of any standards, ordinance prohibiting use of sound amplification invalid as infringing free speech.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Speech
Niemotko v. Maryland, 340 U.S. 268	1951	Lack of standards in issuing license renders practice open to discrimination contrary to free speech and religion.	Jehovah's Witnesses Meeting Permits
Dickinson v. United States, 346 U.S. 389	1953	Classification as minister is not available to all members of a sect notwithstanding doctrine that all are ministers; but part-time secular work does not, without more, disqualify member from satisfying the ministerial exemption.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Service
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
Poulos v. New Hampshire, 345 U.S. 395	1953	Ordinance leaving to officials no discretion in granting permits for religious meetings in public park is constitutional.	Jehovah's Witnesses Meeting Permits
Gonzales v. United States, 348 U.S. 407	1955	Jehovah's Witness was denied fair hearing because of failure to supply him with materials in his record.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Service
Sicurella v. United States, 348 U.S. 385	1955	Willingness to fight in "theocratic" wars does not disqualify a Jehovah's Witness who would otherwise be eligible for exemption as a conscientious objector.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Service
Simmons v. United States, 348 U.S. 397	1955	Jehovah's Witness was denied fair hearing because of failure to supply him with materials in his record.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Service
Witmer v. United States, 348 U.S. 375	1955	Draft board's rejection of Jehovah's Witness' claim of conscientious objector status upheld as lacking sincerity.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Service
Jehovah's Witnesses v. King County Hosp., 390 U.S. 59 (summarily aff'd)	1968	Blood transfusions may be administered to children over religious objections.	Jehovah's Witnesses Medical Care
Wooley v. Maynard, 430 U.S. 705	1977	State cannot require display of state motto on vehicle license plates that violates owner's religious convictions.	Forced Speech Jehovah's Witnesses
Thomas v. Review Bd., 450 U.S. 707	1981	Denial of unemployment benefits because religious beliefs forbade production of armaments violated First Amendment.	Jehovah's Witnesses Military Service Unemployment Compensation
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. v. Village of Stratton, 536 U.S. 150	2002	*Town's requirement that door-to-door leafleters register with town as applied to the Jehovah's Witnesses' proselytizing violates First Amendment.	Jehovah's Witnesses Religious Literature Distribution

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