Becket Fund Archives

Court: U Iowa officials liable for targeting Christian group

Mar 23, 2021

University of Iowa administrators can be held liable for monetary damages for improperly barring a Christian student group that rejects homosexual relationships, a federal appeals court ruled Monday, in a victory for religious conservatives on college campuses.

By Ryan J. Foley

Doctors seek permanent relief from mandate to do transgender surgeries

Mar 9, 2021

Attorneys for doctors and hospitals argued in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit March 3 that they shouldn’t be forced to perform gender-transition surgeries required under the Affordable Care Act, stressing this is an issue of conscience.

By Catholic News Service

Religion and the death penalty collide at the Supreme Court

Feb 13, 2021

The Supreme Court is sending a message to states that want to continue to carry out the death penalty: Inmates must be allowed to have a spiritual adviser by their side as they are executed.

By Jessica Gresko

Judge stops pandemic capacity limits placed on New York synagogues

Feb 12, 2021

A federal judge in Brooklyn Feb. 9 permanently blocked New York state capacity limits for worship at Orthodox synagogues in areas with high rates of COVID-19 infections.

By Catholic News Service

Courts side with Catholic groups over transgender mandate

Jan 28, 2021

Last week, a federal ruling in North Dakota flew under the radar that maintains Catholic medical professionals, hospitals and organizations right to refuse performing or providing insurance coverage for gender transition procedures, or insurance coverage for gender transition drugs, if it violates their religious beliefs of medical judgement.

By John Lavenburg

Critical religious liberty disputes expected for 2021

Jan 3, 2021

History may show that religious liberties under the Donald Trump administration enjoyed an elevated level of support not seen perhaps since the administration of President George W. Bush.

By Tom Tracy

Department of Justice defends Indianapolis Archdiocese in school case

Sep 13, 2020

The U.S. Department of Justice is urging the Indiana Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit filed against the Indianapolis Archdiocese by a Catholic high school teacher who was fired last year.

By Carol Zimmermann

Religious freedom in America: Popular and polarizing

Aug 5, 2020

The principle of religious freedom is important to most Americans. But as President Donald Trump touts his support for it during his reelection bid, there are notable fault lines among people of different faiths and political ideologies over what it truly means.

By Elana Schor and Hannah Fingerhut