Little Sisters of the Poor Saints Peter and Paul Home v. Pennsylvania
In brief
The Supreme Court overturned the Third Circuit’s ruling and sent the case back to that court (reversed and remanded), deciding that the federal departments had authority to create the religious and moral exemptions and that the rules had no procedural problems.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided 7-2 · July 8, 2020 · Opinion by Justice Thomas
- What it’s about
- This case was about the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that employer health plans cover contraception and whether the federal government could create broad exemptions for employers with religious or moral objections.
- Who it affects
- The decision confirms that the federal agencies had authority under the ACA to create religious and moral exemptions and that the rules had no procedural problems. The case still returns to the Third Circuit for further proceedings.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
It also asked whether the Little Sisters of the Poor could continue the appeal to defend those exemptions after lower courts blocked them.
The case reflects a broader conflict between required contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act and religious objections to providing it.
Question presented
1. Whether a litigant who is directly protected by an administrative rule and has been allowed to intervene to defend it lacks standing to appeal a decision invalidating the rule if the litigant is also protected by an injunction from a different court? 2. Whether the federal government lawfully exempted religious objectors from the regulatory requirement to provide health plans that include contraceptive coverage?
What the Court decided
Holding
1. The Departments had the authority under the ACA to promulgate the religious and moral exemptions. 2. The rules promulgating the exemptions are free from procedural defects. 930 F. 3d 543, reversed and remanded.
- Result
- Reversed
The vote
- Joined the judgment
- Concurred in a separate opinion
- Dissented
- Wrote an opinion
- Majority · 5joined the Court's opinion
- Concurring · 2agreed with the result, wrote separately
- Breyer
- Kaganwrote separately
- Dissenting · 2disagreed with the result
- Ginsburgwrote the dissent
- Sotomayor
From the opinions
“In accommodating claims of religious freedom, this Court has taken a balanced approach, one that does not allow the religious beliefs of some to overwhelm the rights and interests of others who do not share those beliefs.”
What's next
The case returns to the Third Circuit for further proceedings under the Supreme Court’s decision. The record gives no date for the next action.
Documents
Docket activity
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AI analysis generated: Impact Analysis
AI analysis generated: Opinion Summary
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AI analysis generated: Decision Record
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Brief added: Questions Presented
More questions
- What did the Supreme Court decide in Little Sisters of the Poor?
- The Court decided that the federal departments had authority under the ACA to create religious and moral exemptions. It also found no problems in how the rules were made.
- What happened to the Third Circuit’s ruling?
- The Court overturned it and sent the case back for further proceedings (reversed and remanded).
- What happens next in Little Sisters of the Poor?
- The case still requires further proceedings in the Third Circuit under the Supreme Court’s decision. The record gives no date for the next action.
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.