Supreme Court Research, Part 1
Use the form provided to research the establishment and free exercise cases. The names of the cases and the constitutional questions are provided for you.
You must complete the facts of the case and add the ruling, reasoning and significance of the case. Complete the summaries and then do the following self check to check your work.
Who was Al Smith and why did he bring a case to the Supreme Court?
Al Smith, a member of a Native American Indian tribe, used peyote as part of a religious ceremony. The state of Oregon fired him from his job as a substance abuse counselor. Smith argued that he had a right to smoke the peyote as part of his right to the free exercise of his religion. The state argued that under state law, the peyote was illegal, and Smith was fired for breaking the law.
How did the Supreme Court rule?
The Court ruled in favor of the state of Oregon. Since the peyote was illegal, they did not have to show any compelling interest unless the law targeted specific religious groups. An individual's religious beliefs do not excuse him from compliance with an otherwise valid law prohibiting conduct that government is free to regulate. Allowing exceptions to every state law or regulation affecting religion "would open the prospect of constitutionally required exemptions from civic obligations of almost every conceivable kind."
