Amy Coney Barrett Casts Decisive Vote in Landmark Supreme Court Ruling on Religious Liberty
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a closely watched case with national implications, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett provided the pivotal fifth vote on Tuesday in a 5-4 decision that significantly expands protections for religious institutions against certain employment discrimination claims. What happened involved the Court ruling that a Catholic school in California could not be sued by former teachers for alleged disability discrimination, citing the “ministerial exception” doctrine. This occurred at the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., March 25, 2025. The decision, authored by Justice Barrett, formally reinforces the First Amendment principle that religious organizations have the exclusive authority to select and control their ministers, a definition the Court expanded to include teachers who perform religious duties. Legal analysts are already calling the ruling a major precedent, potentially impacting thousands of similar cases nationwide. The split decision saw the Court’s conservative wing, led by Barrett, align against the three liberal justices, with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson reading a sharp dissent. The case has ignited debate over the boundaries of religious autonomy and employment law.