Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Comm’n.
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Comm’n. and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Comm’n..
The Supreme Court reversed the Wisconsin Supreme Court's decision, finding that the application of Wisconsin's unemployment compensation tax exemption statute violated the First Amendment. The Court determined that the statute imposed a denominational preference by differentiating between religious organizations based on theological practices. The decision emphasized that the statute's application was not narrowly tailored to further a compelling government interest.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Comm’n..
The Court held that the Wisconsin Supreme Court's application of the statute violated the First Amendment by imposing a denominational preference.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Comm’n.. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why Establishment of Religion is relevant to Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Comm’n.
The case involves a challenge to a state law that allegedly imposes a denominational preference, which is central to the Establishment Clause.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)The Wisconsin Supreme Court's interpretation of § 108.02(15)(h)(2) imposes a denominational preference by differentiating between religions based on theological lines.
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Why Free Exercise of Religion is relevant to Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Comm’n.
The case addresses whether the application of the statute burdens the religious exercise of the petitioners by denying them an exemption.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Petitioners' eligibility for the exemption ultimately turns on inherently religious choices... not `secular criteria'.
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor and Industry Review Comm’n. that support the summary and concepts above.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court's application of § 108.02(15)(h)(2) to petitioners violates the First Amendment.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court's interpretation of § 108.02(15)(h)(2) imposes a denominational preference by differentiating between religions based on theological lines.
Section 108.02(15)(h)(2), as applied, cannot survive strict scrutiny because the State has not met its burden to show that the law's application is narrowly tailored to further a compelling government interest.
