Larson v. Valente

Q: What court decided Valente?

Larson v. Valente was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1982.

Q: What is the citation for Valente?

The official citation for Larson v. Valente is 456 U.S. 228.

Q: What legal issues are involved in Valente?

Larson v. Valente involves the following religious liberty issues: Church & State, Establishment Clause, Free Exercise.

When a law discriminates between religions, it can survive constitutional review only if closely fitted to the furtherance of a compelling governmental interest.

ReligiousLiberty.TV

March 3, 2026

0 min read

Citation: 456 U.S. 228 Year: 1982 Court: U.S. Supreme Court

Church & State Establishment Clause Free Exercise

Holding: When a law discriminates between religions, it can survive constitutional review only if closely fitted to the furtherance of a compelling governmental interest.

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Official Documents

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10th Circuit Rules Oklahoma Amendment Barring Islamic Law was Unnecessary and Discriminatory January 11, 2012

Cited as context

Larson v. Valente (456 U.S. 228) is a Church & State case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1982. The court held that when a law discriminates between religions, it can survive constitutional review only if closely fitted to the furtherance of a compelling governmental interest.

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