October Term 2005 · Docket 04-1084
Does the Controlled Substances Act override religious freedom claims?
The government argues the law bans all Schedule 1 drugs. The church argues the law must allow religious exceptions.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
The government argued the lower court wrongly created an exception to the law.
The church argued the government's position conflicts with religious freedom statutes.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-54 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 45-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 41-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-52 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 1-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 1-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 35-47
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The government seeks to uphold a total ban on a specific drug. The church seeks a legal exception for its religious use.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-3
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 1, 2005.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-52 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-52
What each side wants
The government wants the Court to uphold the total ban on the drug.
The church wants the Court to allow its religious use of the drug.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-3
What each side says
The government argues the law categorically prohibits the substance without exceptions.
The church argues the law must accommodate its specific religious practice.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-3
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked if the government acted uniformly regarding peyote exemptions.
Justice Scalia noted that making an exception did not cause negative consequences.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-54 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 45-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 41-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-52 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 1-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 1-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 35-47
Why it matters
This case defines the balance between federal drug laws and religious freedom. It determines whether a total ban can override specific religious practices.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-3
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-54 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 45-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 41-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-52 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 1-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 1-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 35-47
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 3-3 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 3-3
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.