Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia Inc. v. Comer

Docket No.	Argument	Opinion	Vote	Author	Term
15-577	Apr 19, 2017	Apr 22, 2025	7-2	Roberts	OT 2016

Holding: The Missouri Department of Natural Resources' express policy of denying grants to any applicant owned or controlled by a church, sect or other religious entity violated the rights of Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc., under the free exercise clause of the First Amendment by denying the church an otherwise available public benefit on account of its religious status.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 7-2, in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts on April 22, 2025. Chief Justice Roberts delivered the opinion of the Supreme Court, except as to Footnote 3. Justices Kennedy, Alito and Kagan joined that opinion in full, and Justices Thomas and Gorsuch joined except as to Footnote 3. Justice Thomas filed an opinion concurring in part, in which Justice Gorsuch joined. Justice Gorsuch filed an opinion concurring in part, in which Justice Thomas joined. Justice Breyer filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Ginsburg joined.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

Symposium: Playground resurfacing case provides soft landing for state "no aid" provisions (Alice O'Brien, June 28, 2017)
Symposium: Trinity Lutheran and Zelman Saved by footnote 3 or a dream come true for voucher advocates? (Frank Ravitch, June 27, 2017)
Symposium: The crumbling wall separating church and state (Erwin Chemerinsky, June 27, 2017)
Symposium: The Constitution provides a level playing field for people of faith (Hillary Byrnes, June 27, 2017)
Symposium: The justices reach broad agreement, but on a narrow question (Fred Yarger, June 27, 2017)
Symposium: Court ruling bolsters religious liberty beyond the playground (Nathan Diament, June 26, 2017)
Symposium: Bad news from Trinity Lutheran Only two justices support the establishment clause (Leslie Griffin, June 26, 2017)
Symposium: Putting some limits on the "play in the joints" (Erin Morrow Hawley, June 26, 2017)
A "view" from the courtroom: A day for drama on the bench (Mark Walsh, June 26, 2017)
Opinion analysis: Church prevails in funding dispute (Amy Howe, June 26, 2017)
And then there were six the remaining cases (Amy Howe, June 23, 2017)
And then there were nine the remaining decisions (Amy Howe, June 23, 2017)
Argument analysis: Justices leaning toward a ruling for Trinity Lutheran on the merits (Amy Howe, April 19, 2017)
Both sides urge court to go ahead in church-state case (Amy Howe, April 18, 2017)
Missouri reverses course on aid to religious organizations (UPDATED) (Amy Howe, April 14, 2017)
Argument preview: More than just a playground dispute (Amy Howe, April 12, 2017)
Court releases April calendar (Amy Howe, February 17, 2017)
Justices release March calendar (Amy Howe, February 3, 2017)
Symposium: Gay rights, religious liberty and tire scraps? The inclusive Fourteenth Amendment path in Trinity Lutheran (Mark Rienzi, August 12, 2016)
Symposium: Religious freedom, not religious discrimination (Richard B. Katskee, August 11, 2016)
Symposium: Confronting a nativist past; protecting school-choices future (Richard Garnett, August 10, 2016)
Symposium: Not on the taxpayers dime (Daniel Mach, August 10, 2016)
Symposium: Ban on state funding of churches protects independence (Holly Hollman, August 9, 2016)
Symposium: A soft landing at the Supreme Court (Hannah Smith and Luke Goodrich, August 9, 2016)
Introduction: More than just a playground dispute (Amy Howe, August 8, 2016)

Date	Proceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
11/04/2015	Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due December 7, 2015)
12/03/2015	Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for petitioner.
12/07/2015	Brief amici curiae of Association of Christian Schools International, and Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod filed.
12/07/2015	Brief amicus curiae of The American Center for Law & Justice filed.
12/07/2015	Brief amici curiae of Nevada, et al. filed.
12/07/2015	Brief of respondent Sara Parker Pauley, Director, Missouri Department of Natural Resources in opposition filed.
12/07/2015	Brief amicus curiae of Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission filed.
12/07/2015	Brief amicus curiae of Foundation for Moral Law filed. (Distributed)
12/18/2015	Reply of petitioner Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. filed.
12/22/2015	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 8, 2016.
01/11/2016	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 15, 2016.
01/15/2016	Petition GRANTED.
02/09/2016	The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including April 14, 2016.
02/09/2016	The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including June 28, 2016.
03/17/2016	Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioner.
04/14/2016	Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed.)
04/14/2016	Brief of petitioner Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. filed.
04/18/2016	Brief amicus curiae of World Vision, Inc. filed.
04/19/2016	Brief amicus curiae of The American Center for Law & Justice filed.
04/20/2016	Brief amicus curiae of The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America filed.
04/20/2016	Brief amicus curiae of Justice and Freedom Fund filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of American Jewish Committee in support of neither party filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amici curiae of Association of Christian Schools International, and Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of The Bronx Household of Faith filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of American Association of Christian Schools filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amici curiae of Members of Congress filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amici curiae of Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, et al. filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of Institute for Justice filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amici curiae of Douglas County School District, et al. filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Evangelicals filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of Pacific Legal Foundation filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amici curiae of Nevada, et al. filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of The General Council of the Assemblies of God filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of Belmont Abbey College filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amici curiae of Law and Religion Practitioners filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of The Cato Institute filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amici curiae of Christian Legal Society, et al. filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of Colorado filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amici curiae of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, et al. filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amici curiae of Liberty Counsel, et al. filed.
04/21/2016	Brief amicus curiae of WallBuilders, Inc. filed.
06/28/2016	Brief of respondent Sara Parker Pauley, Director, Missouri Department of Natural Resources filed.
07/05/2016	Brief amici curiae of American Civil Liberties Union, et al. filed.
07/05/2016	Brief amici curiae of Religious and Civil Rights Organizations filed.
07/05/2016	Brief amici curiae of Legal and Religious Historians filed.
07/05/2016	Brief amici curiae of Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and General Synod of The United Church of Christ filed.
07/05/2016	Brief amicus curiae of Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. filed.
07/05/2016	Brief amicus curiae of The National Education Association filed.
07/22/2016	Application (16A78) to extend the time to file a reply brief from July 28, 2016 to August 12, 2016, submitted to Justice Alito.
07/25/2016	Application (16A78) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until August 12, 2016.
08/12/2016	Reply of petitioner Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. filed.
02/17/2017	SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Wednesday, April 19, 2017.
02/24/2017	Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit.
03/02/2017	Record received from the U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit (1 box).
03/02/2017	CIRCULATED.
04/14/2017	Request from the Clerk that the parties submit their views on whether this case is affected by the press release relating to access to Missouri grant programs issued by Governor Greitens on April 13, 2017. The parties' views should be in the form of a letter delivered to the Court and served upon counsel by noon on Tuesday, April 18, 2017.
04/18/2017	Letter of petitioner pursuant to April 14, 2017 request of Clerk filed. (Distributed)
04/18/2017	Letter of respondent pursuant to April 14, 2017 request of Clerk filed. (Distributed)
04/19/2017	Argued. For petitioner: David A. Cortman, Lawrenceville, Ga. For respondent: James R. Layton, Jefferson City, Mo.
06/26/2017	Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court, except as to footnote 3. Kennedy, Alito, and Kagan, JJ., joined that opinion in full, and Thomas and Gorsuch, JJ., joined except as to footnote 3. Thomas, J., filed an opinion concurring in part, in which Gorsuch, J., joined. Gorsuch, J., filed an opinion concurring in part, in which Thomas, J., joined. Breyer, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Sotomayor, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Ginsburg, J., joined.
07/28/2017	JUDGMENT ISSUED.
08/07/2017	Record from the U.S.C.A. for the Eight Circuit has been returned.