Religious objections to birth control
Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores
In brief
Hobby Lobby won: the Court agreed with the Tenth Circuit that the coverage rules violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as applied to closely held corporations.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided 5-4 · June 30, 2014 · Opinion by Justice Kennedy
- What it’s about
- Hobby Lobby challenged a federal rule requiring its health plan to cover contraception, citing its owners’ religious beliefs.
- Who it affects
- The decision means the contraceptive-coverage rules violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act when applied to closely held corporations.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
The Supreme Court ruled that the rule violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) as applied to closely held corporations and agreed with the appeals court in Hobby Lobby’s case.
Hobby Lobby relied on the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, a federal law, to challenge the health-plan coverage rule.
Question presented
Does the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 allow a for-profit company to deny its employees health coverage of contraception to which the employees would otherwise be entitled based on the religious objections of the company's owners?
What the Court decided
Holding
As applied to closely held corporations, the HHS regulations imposing the contraceptive mandate violate RFRA. No. 13–354, 723 F. 3d 1114, affirmed
- Result
- Affirmed
The vote
- Joined the judgment
- Dissented
- Wrote an opinion
- Majority · 5joined the Court's opinion
From the opinions
“In a decision of startling breadth, the Court holds that commercial enterprises, including corporations, along with partnerships and sole proprietorships, can opt out of any law (saving only tax laws) they judge incompatible with their sincerely held religious beliefs.”
What's next
The Supreme Court has finished this case and left the Tenth Circuit's ruling in place.
Documents
Opinions
Docket activity
New analysis added
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
AI analysis generated: Decision Record
Case data updated: summary, question_presented, generation_metadata
Case data updated: question_presented, extraction_metadata
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Opinion added: Burwell
More questions
- Why did Justice Ginsburg disagree?
- She argued that the ruling allowed businesses broad power to opt out of laws they see as conflicting with their religious beliefs, and warned that the public could bear the cost.
Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.