Trinity Lutheran Church Of Columbia, Inc. V. Comer Case Study

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Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer This case is about the Missouri Department of Natural Resources denied grants to Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. (SCOTUSblog). The Learning Center, daycare and preschool, which was operated by Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. was a non-profit corporation since 1985. Trinity tried to apply a Playground Scrap Tire Surface Material Grant which is neutral and secular aid program to purchase recycled tires to resurface playgrounds. However, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) denied offering the grants to Trinity because Article I, Section 7 of the Free Exercise, “no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, section or denomination …show more content…
The district court denied the motions; the U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal and the denial of the motions and amend the complaint. However, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the DNR could not deny the grants to Trinity because of its religious (“Trinity Lutheran Church”). The key issues in this case were the conflict of whether the DNR was violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment by denying Trinity receiving the grants. The U.S. Supreme Court majority decided that neutral and secular aid program had violated the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of religion. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. delivered the opinion of the 7-2 majority. The First Amendment protects the freedom of religion. Everybody and every group have their right to practice their religion. However, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources denied Trinity to receive the Playground Scrap Tire Surface Material Grants because Trinity is a religious organization. The NDR discriminated Trinity based on it religious status and violated the Free Exercise Clause. Trinity has the same opportunity as other organizations to get the grants.

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