Center Files Friend of the Court Brief in Faith-Based Initiative Case

On January 5, 2007, CLS's Center for Law & Religious Freedom filed a friend of the Court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), a case involving the faith-based initiative.

FFRF filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of certain conferences designed to advance the faith-based and community initiative. The conferences were sponsored by the White House and various executive branch agencies. FFRF alleged that the Administration violated the Establishment Clause.

The federal government argued that the plaintiffs lacked legal standing to challenge the actions in federal courts. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that the plaintiffs did have standing, the government appealed to the Supreme Court, which agreed to take the case. The CLS Center filed a brief urging the Court to conclude that FFRF and the other plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the case.