Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
565 U.S. 171 · Decided January 11, 2012 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was decided on January 11, 2012 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Free exercise of religion” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 565 U.S. 171 · 132 S. Ct. 694 · 181 L. Ed. 2d 650 · 2012 U.S. LEXIS 578
- Docket number
- 10-553
- Decided
- January 11, 2012
- Argued
- October 5, 2011
- Court era
- Roberts Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- John G. Roberts Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- John G. Roberts Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Free exercise of religion
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (free exercise of religion)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- An act of Congress
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Majority | |
| Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sonia Sotomayor | Majority | |
| Justice Elena Kagan | Concurrence |
Full case caption
Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 2011-011, docket 2011-011-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Free exercise of religion”
- Christian Legal Society Chapter of the University of California v. Leo P. Martinez
- Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores
- Holt v. Hobbs
- Zubik v. Burwell
- Alberto R. Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao Do Vegetal
- Our Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-Berru
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (free exercise of religion)
- Trinity Lutheran Church v. ComerLaw held unconstitutional
- Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
- Gary Locke v. Joshua Davey
- Espinoza v. Montana Department of RevenueLaw held unconstitutional
- Carson v. MakinLaw held unconstitutional
- Zorach v. Clauson
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- American Tradition Partnership, Inc. v. Steve BullockLaw held unconstitutional
- United States v. Xavier AlvarezLaw held unconstitutional
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error