Alberto R. Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao Do Vegetal
546 U.S. 418 · Decided February 21, 2006 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Alberto R. Gonzales v. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao Do Vegetal was decided on February 21, 2006 unanimously (8–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Free exercise of religion” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 546 U.S. 418 · 126 S. Ct. 1211 · 163 L. Ed. 2d 1017 · 2006 U.S. LEXIS 1815
- Docket number
- 04-1084
- Decided
- February 21, 2006
- Argued
- November 1, 2005
- Court era
- Roberts Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- John G. Roberts Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- John G. Roberts Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Free exercise of religion
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- Religious Freedom Restoration Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Majority | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Majority | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Majority | |
| Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
Did not participate: Samuel A. Alito Jr..
Full case caption
Alberto R. Gonzales, Attorney General, et al. v. O Centro Espirita Beneficente Uniao Do Vegetal et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 2005-027, docket 2005-027-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Free exercise of religion”
- Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. v. Village of StrattonLaw held unconstitutional
- Christian Legal Society Chapter of the University of California v. Leo P. Martinez
- Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
- Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores
- City of Boerne v. P. F. FloresLaw held unconstitutional
- Holt v. Hobbs
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Wisconsin Right to Life, Inc. v. Federal Election Commission
- Donald H. Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, Inc.
- Michael Hartman v. William G. Moore, Jr.
- Gil Garcetti v. Richard Ceballos
- Neil Randall v. William H. SorrellLaw held unconstitutional
- Jeffrey A. Beard v. Ronald Banks
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error