Washington Permanently Blocked from Enforcing Clergy Confession Law After Federal Court Agreement
Judge affirms First Amendment protections for Catholic confessions in stipulated injunction resolving months-long litigation A federal court in Tacoma will permanently bar the State of Washington from enforcing a 2025 amendment to its mandatory reporting law that would have required Catholic priests to report information learned in the Sacrament of Confession. The injunction, issued on […]
Read MoreCourt Denies Lance Shockley’s Bid to Have Daughters Serve as Spiritual Advisors During Execution
Judge rules Missouri’s refusal to admit family members into execution chamber does not substantially burden inmate’s religious rights under RLUIPA or the First Amendment In the final days before his scheduled execution, Lance Shockley asked a federal court to allow his two daughters, both ordained ministers, to accompany him into the execution chamber and administer […]
Read MoreSupreme Court Weighs Colorado Ban on “Conversion Therapy” for Minors
Justices question whether the law censors voluntary counseling protected by the First Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on October 7, 2025, in Chiles v. Salazar (No. 24-539), a case challenging Colorado’s prohibition on licensed therapists providing “conversion therapy” to minors. Counselor Kaley Chiles argues that the law violates the First Amendment by […]
Read MoreWhy Today’s Religious Liberty Battles Are Really About Free Speech
Most religious liberty fights in court today aren’t just about belief. They’re about expression. Whether it’s a prayer on the 50-yard line, a wedding website, or a bakery counter, the real question is: Can the government make you say something you don’t believe? In my talk this weekend for the Adventist Today Sabbath Seminar, I […]
Read MoreCan New Laws Revive Old Lawsuits? Not in New Hampshire, Says Supreme Court
When courts block a new law from applying to past events, they often cite the concept of a “vested right.” But what exactly does that mean, and how does it relate to the constitutional ban on retrospective laws? A recent decision by the New Hampshire Supreme Court in Ball v. Roman Catholic Bishop of Manchester, […]
Read More4 Surprising Truths About Free Speech You Might Not Know
“Free speech” is one of the most passionately debated topics of our time, fueling endless arguments on social media, in classrooms, and across dinner tables. We invoke the term to defend our own views and to condemn the words of others. It’s a concept so central to American identity that we often assume we understand […]
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