References: 133 US 333 (1890), 33 L Ed 637, 10 SCt 299
Links: Worldlii
Coram: Field J
United States Supreme Court. The defendant claimed that the First Amendment insulated from civil punishment certain practices inspired or motivated by religious beliefs.
Held: The assetion failed: ‘It was never intended or supposed that the amendment could be invoked as a protection against legislation for the punishment of acts inimical to the peace, good order, and morals of society.’ The Court adopted a strictly theistic definition of religion.
This case is cited by:
- Cited – Hodkin and Another, Regina (on The Application of) -v- Registrar-General of Births, Deaths and Marriages SC (Bailii, [2013] UKSC 77, [2013] WLR(D) 492, [2014] PTSR 1, [2014] 1 AC 610, [2014] 1 All ER 737, [2014] 2 WLR 23, [2014] 1 FCR 577, WLRD, Bailii Summary, UKSC 2013/0030, SC Summary, SC)
The appellants sought to be married in their regular church in London. The minister would be pleased to perform the ceremony, but church to which they belonged was part of the Church of Scientology, and had been refused registration under the 1855 . .