Cert. Granted
St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy
Issue
(1) Whether proving a lack of general applicability under Employment Division v. Smith requires showing unfettered discretion or categorical exemptions for identical secular conduct; (2) whether Carson v. Makin displaces the rule of Employment Division v. Smith only when the government explicitly excludes religious people and institutions.
Related Coverage
Nov 13, 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due December 17, 2025)Dec 3, 2025Brief amici curiae of The Conscience Project, et al. filed.Dec 4, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Pacific Justice Institute filed.Dec 12, 2025Waiver of right of respondent Lisa Roy, et al. to respond filed.
Dec 12, 2025Waiver of St. Mary Catholic Parish in Littleton, et al. of right to respond not accepted for filing. (December 16, 2025)
Dec 15, 2025Waiver of Lisa Roy, et al. of right to respond not accepted for filing. (December 16, 2025)
Dec 15, 2025Waiver of St. Mary Catholic Parish in Littleton, et al. of right to respond not accepted for filing. (December 16, 2025)
Dec 15, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Sutherland Institute filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Darren Patterson Christian Academy filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of The Notre Dame Education Law Project, et al, filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of EdChoice, Inc., et al. filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of National Association of Evangelicals, et al. filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of West Virginia, et al. filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Thomas More Society filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Center for American Liberty filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Robertson Center for Constitutional Law filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Stephanie Barclay filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Dr. Richard Rogers filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of National Legal Foundation, et al. filed.Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of America's Future filed. (Distributed)Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Foundation for Moral Law filed. (Distributed)Dec 17, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Colorado Association of Private Schools filed. (Distributed)Dec 17, 2025Brief amici curiae of Pioneer New England Legal Foundation, et al. filed. (Distributed)Dec 23, 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
Dec 31, 2025Response Requested. (Due January 30, 2026)
Jan 2, 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response from January 30, 2026 to March 2, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.Jan 5, 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including March 2, 2026.
Jan 30, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Protect the First Foundation filed.Jan 30, 2026Brief amicus curiae of United States in support of the petitioners filed.Mar 2, 2026Brief of respondents Lisa Roy, et al. in opposition filed.Mar 16, 2026Reply of petitioners St. Mary Catholic Parish, Littleton, Colorado, et al. filed. (Distributed)Mar 17, 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/2/2026.
Apr 13, 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/17/2026.
Apr 20, 2026Petition GRANTED limited to Questions 1 and 2 presented by the petition.
May 1, 2026Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits filed.May 7, 2026Motion to extend the time to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time to file the joint appendix and petitioners' brief on the merits is extended to and including June 25, 2026. The time to file respondents' brief on the merits is extended to and including August 17, 2026.
Jun 25, 2026Brief of petitioners St. Mary Catholic Parish in Littleton, et al. filed.Jun 25, 2026Joint appendix (3 volumes and a supplemental volume) filed. (Statement of costs filed)Jun 26, 2026Brief amici curiae of National Legal Foundation, et al. filed.Jun 26, 2026Brief amici curiae of World Faith Foundation, et al. filed.Jun 29, 2026Brief amici curiae of The Conscience Project, et al. filed.Jul 1, 2026Brief amici curiae of Pioneer New England Legal Foundation, et al. filed.Jul 1, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Liberty Counsel filed.Jul 1, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Sutherland Institute filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Robertson Center for Constitutional Law filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of Fellowship of Christian Athletes, et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Darren Patterson Christian Academy filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of Stephanie Barclay, et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of American Center for Law and Justice, et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of 43 Members of Congress filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Dr. Richard Rogers filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of Council for Christian Colleges & Universities, et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of National Association of Evangelicals, et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Thomas More Society filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of Professor Douglas Laycock, et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Center for American Liberty filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of LiMandri & Jonna LLP filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of EdChoice, Inc., et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Protect the First Foundation filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of America's Future, et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Crosspoint Church filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of Notre Dame Education Law Project, et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amici curiae of West Virginia, et al. filed.Jul 2, 2026Brief amicus curiae of United States filed.Aug 11, 2026SET FOR ARGUMENT on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Aug 17, 2026Brief of respondents Lisa Roy, et al. filed.Aug 19, 2026Record requested from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Aug 20, 2026Record received from the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. The record is electronic and is available on PACER.
Aug 21, 2026Brief amici curiae of New Ways Ministry, et al. filed.Aug 21, 2026Brief amici curiae of National Women's Law Center, et al. filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, et al. filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Children’s Rights, et al. filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of COLAGE, et al. filed. (Distributed)Aug 24, 2026Brief amicus curiae of Freedom From Religion Foundation filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., et al. filed. (Distributed)Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Scholars for the Advancement of Children’s Constitutional Rights filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of First Amendment Scholars filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Historians of Education filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Public Funds Public Schools, et al. filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, et al. filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Massachusetts, et al. filed. (Distributed)Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Professor Laura Portuondo, et al. filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Legal Scholars in Support of Equality filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Members of Congress filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amicus curiae of American Atheists, Inc. filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Ilan Meyer, et al. filed. (Distributed)Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Local Government Legal Center, et al. filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Former Catholic School Superintendent Timothy Uhl, et al. filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Law and Religion Scholars filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amicus curiae of First Focus on Children filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Interfaith Alliance, et al. filed. (Distributed)Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of Religious and Civil-Rights Organizations filed.Aug 24, 2026Brief amici curiae of 27+ Lay Roman Catholics filed. (Distributed)Aug 27, 2026CIRCULATED
Aug 31, 2026Motion for leave to file out of time, for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed by the Solicitor General.Sep 16, 2026Reply of petitioners St. Mary Catholic Parish in Littleton, Colorado, et al. filed. (Distributed)Recommended Citation: St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, SCOTUSblog, https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/st-mary-catholic-parish-v-roy/