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Supreme Court Extends ‘Ministerial Exception’ To Cover More Teachers at Religious Schools

Supreme Court Extends ‘Ministerial Exception’ To Cover More Teachers at Religious Schools

Supreme Court Extends ‘Ministerial Exception’ To Cover More Teachers at Religious Schools

Court says 9th Circuit improperly treated prior criteria as checklist to determine whether courts could hear claims of discrimination
The U.S. Supreme Court has extended the scope of the “ministerial exception” that prohibits courts from hearing claims of employment discrimination brought by teachers at religious schools. It has reversed and remanded two separate cases from the 9 th Circuit, in which the Court of Appeals had reversed trial court summary judgments in favor of the schools and held that the teachers did not meet the criteria for being a “minister” previously established by the Court. In 2012, the Supreme Court had formally recognized the “ministerial exception” that had been used by several lower courts in dismissing employment claims brought against religious organizations. It confirmed the existence of a...

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