__ U.S. __ (2016), 14-1418, Zubik v. Burwell

• Docket Nº: 14-1418, 14-1453, 14-1505, 15-35, 15-105, 15-119, 15-191
• Citation: __ U.S. __, 136 S.Ct. 1557, 194 L.Ed.2d 696, 84 U.S.L.W. 4257
• Opinion Judge: PER CURIAM.
• Party Name: DAVID A. ZUBIK, ET AL., PETITIONERS v. SYLVIA BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.; PRIESTS FOR LIFE, ET AL., PETITIONERS v. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.; ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON, ET AL., PETITIONERS v. SYLVIA BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.; EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVER...
• Attorney: Noel Francisco argued the cause for petitioners (Nos. 14-1418, 14-1453, & 14-150). Paul D. Clement argued the cause for petitioners (Nos. 15-35, 15-105, 15-119 & 15-191). Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. argued the cause for respondent.
• Judge Panel: Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, Sotomayor, Kagan. JUSTICE SOTOMAYOR, with whom JUSTICE GINSBURG joins, concurring.
• Case Date: May 16, 2016
• Court: United States Supreme Court

Page __

__ U.S. __ (2016)

136 S.Ct. 1557, 194 L.Ed.2d 696, 84 U.S.L.W. 4257, 26 Fla.L.Weekly Fed. S 127

DAVID A. ZUBIK, ET AL., PETITIONERS

v.

SYLVIA BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.;

PRIESTS FOR LIFE, ET AL., PETITIONERS

v.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.;

ROMAN CATHOLIC ARCHBISHOP OF WASHINGTON, ET AL., PETITIONERS

v.

SYLVIA BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.;

EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY, ET AL., PETITIONERS

v.

SYLVIA BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.;

LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR HOME FOR THE AGED, DENVER, COLORADO, ET AL., PETITIONERS

v.

SYLVIA BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.;

SOUTHERN NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, ET AL., PETITIONERS

v.

SYLVIA BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL.;

AND

GENEVA COLLEGE, PETITIONER

v.

SYLVIA BURWELL, SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, ET AL

Nos. 14-1418, 14-1453, 14-1505, 15-35, 15-105, 15-119, 15-191

United States Supreme Court

May 16, 2016

ON WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT

Noel Francisco argued the cause for petitioners (Nos. 14-1418, 14-1453, & 14-150).

Paul D. Clement argued the cause for petitioners (Nos. 15-35, 15-105, 15-119 & 15-191).

Donald B. Verrilli, Jr. argued the cause for respondent.

Roberts, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, Sotomayor, Kagan.

OPINION

[194 L.Ed.2d 697] PER CURIAM.

Petitioners are primarily nonprofit organizations that provide health insurance to their employees. Federal regulations require petitioners to cover certain contraceptives as part of [194 L.Ed.2d 698] their health plans, unless petitioners submit a form either to their insurer or to the Federal Government, stating that they object on religious grounds to providing contraceptive coverage. Petitioners allege that submitting this notice substantially burdens the exercise of their religion, in violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, 107 Stat. 1488, 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq.

Following oral argument, the Court requested supplemental briefing from the parties addressing " whether contraceptive coverage could be provided to petitioners' employees, through petitioners' insurance companies, without any such notice from petitioners." Post, p. ___, 194 L.Ed.2d 599. Both petitioners and the Government now confirm that such an option is feasible. Petitioners have clarified that their religious exercise is not infringed where they " need to do nothing more than contract for a plan that does not include coverage for some or all forms of contraception," even if their employees receive cost-free contraceptive coverage from the same insurance company. Supplemental Brief for Petitioners 4. The Government has confirmed that the challenged procedures " for employers with insured plans could be modified to operate in the manner posited in the Court's order while still ensuring that the affected women receive contraceptive coverage seamlessly, together with the rest of their health coverage." Supplemental Brief for Respondents 14-15.

In light of the positions asserted by the parties in their supplemental briefs, the Court vacates the judgments below and remands to the respective United States Courts of Appeals for the Third, Fifth, Tenth, and D. C. Circuits. Given the gravity of the dispute and the substantial clarification and refinement in the positions of the parties, the parties on remand should be afforded an opportunity to arrive at an approach going forward that accommodates petitioners' religious exercise while at the same time ensuring that women covered by petitioners' health plans " receive full and equal health coverage, including contraceptive coverage." Id., at 1. We anticipate that the Courts of Appeals will allow the parties sufficient time to resolve any outstanding issues between them.

The Court finds the foregoing approach more suitable than addressing the significantly clarified views of the parties in the first instance. Although there may still be areas of disagreement between the parties on issues of implementation, the importance of those areas of potential concern is uncertain, as is the necessity of this Court's involvement at this point to resolve them. This Court has taken similar action in other cases in the past. See, e.g., Madison County v. Oneida Indian Nation of N.Y., 562 U.S. 42, 43, 131 S.Ct. 704, 178 L.Ed.2d 587 (2011) ( per curiam...