Quiz #102 Unpacking the Tanzin v. Tanvir Supreme Court Decision

In what year did the Supreme Court issue its decision in Tanzin v. Tanvir and what was the issue that the Supreme Court decided in that case?  

 

(Scroll down for the answer)

 

Answer: The Supreme Court issued its opinion in 2020.  Here’s how the Supreme Court described the issue it was facing:

 

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) prohibits the Federal Government from imposing substantial burdens on religious exercise, absent a compelling interest pursued through the least restrictive means. 107 Stat. 1488, 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq. It also gives a person whose religious exercise has been unlawfully burdened the right to seek “appropriate relief.” The question here is whether “appropriate relief ” includes claims for money damages against Government officials in their individual capacities.

Tanzin v. Tanvir, 141 S. Ct. 486, 489, 208 L. Ed. 2d 295 (2020).

 

Disclaimer: The Religion Law Quizzes are provided as a service to you. They are intended only for educational purposes. Nothing in the Quizzes is intended to be legal advice and they should not be relied upon as conclusive on any issue discussed therein.

 

HERE IS AN AI GENERATED SUMMARY OF TODAY’S PODCAST

 

Welcome to the Religion Law Podcast, your go-to platform for comprehending religious freedom and hot topics related to religious law. In this episode, our host Michael Fielding delves into a significant yet underreported Supreme Court decision, Tanzan v. Tanvir. This decision was executed in 2020, a period where global attention was predominantly focused on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The crux of the Tanzan v. Tanvir issue pertains to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) of 1993, which prohibits the federal government from encumbering religious exercise without a compelling urge exercised via the least restrictive means. It also entitles an individual whose religious exercise has been unlawfully compromised to seek apt relief. However, the moot point brought forth by Tanzan v. Tanvir is the scope of "appropriate relief" under RFRA, examining the permit of individuals to sue government officials for financial damages in their personal capacity.

Join us as we unfold the implications of the Tanzan v. Tanvir decision and understand its potential consequences on religious freedom. Remember, our Religion Law quizzes are designed purely for educational enlightenment and should not be considered legal advice. If this episode has enlightened you in any way, please share it and don't forget to leave a review. Let's endorse the habit of being an advocate for good. We'll see you again for Quiz number 103. Stay enlightened. Music.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Welcome to another episode of the Religion Law Podcast, where you learn about
religious freedom and other religion law-related topics through a short question-and-answer format.
I'm your host, Michael Fielding.
Let's see how you do on today's quiz.
Welcome to Religion Law Quiz number 102. 102, numero ciento dos,

(00:25):
we are going to, I think it's for about the next eight or so quizzes,
we're going to go a little bit back in time to talk about a Supreme Court decision
that might actually kind of jump ahead.
But this decision is actually, I think, really important.

(00:46):
It's a It's a decision that did not get much press when it came out,
because it came out in 2020.
It was a Tanzan v. Tanvir decision.
But I'll just say this. I think this is just putting my attorney hat on.

(01:07):
I think this particular decision will have big implications on a practical level
for many years to come because of what the court ultimately held.
We'll get into that as we go through it.
But I'm probably giving too much just even by giving this little prelude.

(01:29):
So let's just dive into it in the question. Now, here's the question I realized
I just gave you the answer to the first part.
So in what year did the Supreme Court issue its decision in Tanzan v.
Tanvir, and what was the issue that the Supreme Court decided in that case?

(01:50):
Well, I mentioned it earlier. It came out in 2020, right?
We're all so focused on COVID that we, you know, fail to pay attention to some
of these Supreme Court cases coming out. But here is what the Supreme Court,
how it described the issue that it was facing.
And this is a quote from the decision.
I'll have a specific citation in the show notes. Quote,

(02:13):
the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 prohibits the federal government
from imposing substantial burdens on religious exercise absent a compelling
interest pursued through the least restrictive means.
It also gives a person whose religious exercise has been unlawfully burdened
the right to seek appropriate relief.

(02:35):
The question here is whether appropriate relief includes claims for money damages
against government officials in their individual capacities,
close quote. So that's the issue.
And you can see probably from the comments that I just gave as a lead into this,
why I think this is so important is because you have –,

(02:57):
The Supreme Court issued the RFRA decision, or excuse me, let's back up.
In 1990, you have the famous Smith decision that comes out from the Supreme Court.
And then in 1993, Congress passes the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,
which prohibits the federal government from imposing substantial burdens on
religious exercise absent a compelling interest pursued through the least restrictive means.

(03:20):
And the question is, or the RFRA also gave people whose religious exercise rights
have been unlawfully burdened the right to seek appropriate relief.
And that was the big issue before the Supreme Court, when what is appropriate
relief under RFRA, and does that give parties the ability to sue government

(03:42):
officials in their individual capacities for damages,
for money damages?
That is the issue that the Supreme Court dealt with in Tanzan v.
Tanvir, and that's what we are
going to be discussing in the next several upcoming Religion Law Quizzes.
So hopefully you will find them interesting. I will see you on quiz number 103.

(04:06):
Thank you for listening to today's episode. Remember, religion law quizzes are
for educational purposes only and are not intended to be relied upon as legal advice.
If you have found this episode to be helpful, please share it and leave a review.
Until we meet again, keep being an influence for good.
Music.