Victory for the Little Sisters of the Poor as Supreme Court unanimously sends case back to lower courts

Decision is a victory for the Little Sisters of the Poor.

The Supreme Court has sent the Little Sisters of the Poor contraceptive mandate case back to the lower courts for a compromise. They have refused to decide on the case at this time in a unanimous decision.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - The Little Sisters of the Poor case stems from the Obamacare contraception mandate that requires employers to offer contraceptives to their employees via insurance plans.

Unfortunately, such plans violate the religious beliefs of many Christian employers, including the Little Sisters of the Poor, a society of Catholic nuns who provide medical care and other compassionate care to those in need.

In Catholic belief, contraceptives are immoral because they interfere with God's creative process. Many contraceptives, such as morning after pills, can destroy children after conception occurs, making them into abortifacients.

In an attempt at compromise, the Obama administration offered to pay for the contraceptives, but then required the Little Sisters of the Poor to send a letter attesting to the fact they do not offer contraceptive coverage to their employees. This again involved the Little Sisters in the contraception process, which would make them "complicit in sin." 

The courts asked the government if they could relieve the Little Sisters of this requirement, and the government admitted it was feasible.

The court's decision will send the case back to the lower courts for compromise.

The decision is a victory for the Little Sisters of the Poor, but much work lies ahead.

A press release from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is included below.

Via the Beckett Fund: "Justices send case back to lower courts in light of government's new position"

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Moments ago, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously decided to send back to the lower courts the case of the Little Sisters of the Poor, a group of nuns who care for the elderly poor. The Court's decision is a win for the Little Sisters and other groups who needed relief from draconian government fines.

In its decision, the Supreme Court held that after its unprecedented call for supplemental briefing that the lower courts should again review the cases.

"We are very encouraged by the Court's decision, which is an important win for the Little Sisters. The Court has recognized that the government changed its position," said Mark Rienzi, senior counsel at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and lead Becket attorney for the Little Sisters of the Poor. "It is crucial that the Justices unanimously ordered the government not to impose these fines and indicated that the government doesn't need any notice to figure out what should now be obvious-the Little Sisters respectfully object. There is still work to be done, but today's decision indicates that we will ultimately prevail in court."  

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