Presbyterian Church in the United States v. Mary Elizabeth Blue Hull Memorial Presbyterian Church
393 U.S. 440 · Decided January 27, 1969 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Presbyterian Church in the United States v. Mary Elizabeth Blue Hull Memorial Presbyterian Church was decided on January 27, 1969 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Free exercise of religion” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 393 U.S. 440 · 89 S. Ct. 601 · 21 L. Ed. 2d 658 · 1969 U.S. LEXIS 2702
- Docket number
- 71
- Decided
- January 27, 1969
- Argued
- October 9, 1968
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- 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
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority |
Full case caption
Presbyterian Church in the United States et al. v. Mary Elizabeth Blue Hull Memorial Presbyterian Church et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1968-039, docket 1968-039-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Free exercise of religion”
- Dewey v. Reynolds Metals Co.
- Solomon v. South Carolina
- Cruz v. Beto
- Wisconsin v. YoderLaw held unconstitutional
- Cooper v. Pate
- Sherbert v. VernerLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (free exercise of religion)
- Zorach v. Clauson
- Gary Locke v. Joshua Davey
- Trinity Lutheran Church v. ComerLaw held unconstitutional
- Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
- Espinoza v. Montana Department of RevenueLaw held unconstitutional
- Carson v. MakinLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Epperson v. ArkansasLaw held unconstitutional
- Carroll v. President and Commissioners of Princess Anne
- Clark v. Gabriel
- Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District
- Gregory v. City of Chicago
- Shuttlesworth v. City of Birmingham
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