Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Religious institutions have a First Amendment right to make employment decisions free from state interference through the ministerial exception doctrine.

ReligiousLiberty.TV

February 26, 2026

0 min read

Year: 2012 Court: U.S. Supreme Court

Education Free Exercise Workplace Accommodation

Holding: Religious institutions have a First Amendment right to make employment decisions free from state interference through the ministerial exception doctrine.

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Official Documents

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Coverage on ReligiousLiberty.TV

📎 Document links found in our articles: 📄 SupremeCourt.gov PDF

"Ministerial exception" preempts discrimination lawsuit brought by injured church school teacher August 29, 2016

Cited as context 📎 SupremeCourt.gov PDF
The U.S. Supreme Court made the Right Decision When It Upheld the Ministerial Exception January 29, 2012

Primary coverage
Ruling on Ministers: What the Supreme Court said & didn't say | Oregon Faith Report January 23, 2012

Primary coverage

Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is a Education case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2012. The court held that religious institutions have a First Amendment right to make employment decisions free from state interference through the ministerial exception doctrine.

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