In the Courts - Christian Legal Society

Current Cases

Chiles v. Salazar

Faith-based counselors nationwide help youth experiencing gender dysphoria by talking with children to address the underlying causes of their discomfort, alleviating their distress, and, if possible, helping them to accept their bodies…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise, Free Speech
Court: U.S. Supreme Court
Case Status: Pending
Center's Role: Amicus

First Choice Women’s Resource Centers v. Platkin

Pro-life pregnancy centers exist to help women (and men) facing unplanned pregnancies. Rather than encourage them to abort their children, these centers offer alternatives that preserve the lives of both mothers and…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise, Free Speech
Court: U.S. Supreme Court
Case Status: Cert. granted
Center's Role: Amicus

Fellowship of Christian Athletes v. District of Columbia, et al.

In 2022, after a brief pause during COVID, FCA returned to campus at Jackson-Reed High School in D.C. Two weeks later, a part-time freshman baseball coach told local FCA staff that, because of…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise, Free Speech
Court: USDC District of Columbia
Case Status: Pending
Center's Role: Amicus

Mahmoud v. Taylor

In fall 2022, the Montgomery County Board of Education (“Board”) announced over 20 new “inclusivity” books—books that champion pride parades, gender transitioning, and pronoun preferences for children—for its pre-K through eighth grade…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise, Public Education
Court: U.S. Supreme Court
Case Status: Success
Center's Role: Amicus

Bethany Christian Services v. Corbin

For the first time since Bethany Christian Services began serving refugees in 1962 and became a contractor of the state of Michigan in 1981, the organization was denied refugee-resettlement services contracts because…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise, Free Speech, Workplace
Court: Western District of Michigan
Case Status: Pending
Center's Role: Counsel

Gateway Pregnancy Centers

Gateway is a small, religious nonprofit that seeks to show the love of Christ to women and men that find themselves in a pregnancy situation. It seeks to provide tangible support and…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise, Life
Court: N/A
Case Status: Pending
Center's Role: Counsel

Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections & Public Safety

Congress has enacted two “sister” statutes to protect religious exercise: the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. 2000bb et seq., and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise
Court: U.S. Supreme Court
Case Status: Cert. granted
Center's Role: Amicus

Fellowship of Christian Athletes v. San Jose Unified School District

For years, high school students in San Jose, California, have formed student groups associated with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to discuss and encourage one another in their shared beliefs. These students…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise, Free Speech
Court: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
Case Status: Success
Center's Role: Counsel

Smith v. City of Atlantic City

Alexander Smith is an air mask technician with the Atlantic City Fire Department in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Fire department policy prohibits beards of any length. The purported reason for the prohibition…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise
Court: Third Circuit Court of Appeals
Case Status: Success
Center's Role: Amicus

Apache Stronghold v. United States

Western Apaches have lived, worshipped on, and cared for Oak Flat and surrounding land since before history began to be recorded. Oak Flat is of paramount significance for their prayer and sacred…

Legal Issue(s): Free Religious Exercise
Court: U.S. Supreme Court
Case Status: Cert. denied
Center's Role: Amicus