Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation

551 U.S. 587 (2007)

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Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation

United States Supreme Court
551 U.S. 587 (2007)

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Facts

Members of the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) (plaintiffs) brought suit in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin against Hein and other federal officials (defendants) tasked with administering President George W. Bush’s Faith-Based and Community Initiatives program. FFRF challenged the program, as taxpayers, on the grounds that the program inappropriately used taxpayer money to support faith-based programs and that speeches made by President Bush contained “religious imagery.” The district court granted FFRF’s motion to dismiss the case for lack of standing, but the court of appeals reversed on the ground that the program constituted an inappropriate use of federal money in violation of the Establishment Clause of the Constitution. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Alito, J.)

Concurrence (Kennedy, J.)

Concurrence (Scalia, J.)

Dissent (Souter, J.)

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