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Religion

Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores

Decided: 2014

In brief

Held closely held for-profit corporations can claim religious exemptions from the ACA's contraceptive mandate.

The Court's ruling in depth

Applying the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (rather than the First Amendment), the Court held that closely held for-profit corporations qualify as 'persons' whose religious exercise RFRA protects, and that the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive-coverage mandate substantially burdened that exercise without using the least restrictive means. Hobby Lobby dramatically expanded corporate religious-liberty claims.

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