《Supreme Court of the United States》.pdfVIP

No. 10-553 In The Supreme Court of the United States HOSANNA-TABOR EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL, Petitioner, v. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY COMMISSION, ET AL., Respondents. On Writ Of Certiorari To The United States Court Of Appeals For The Sixth Circuit BRIEF OF AMICUS CURIAE NEIL H. COGAN IN SUPPORT OF RESPONDENTS URGING AFFIRMANCE NEIL H. COGAN Counsel for Amicus Curiae 3333 Harbor Boulevard Costa Mesa, CA 92626 714 444-4141 ext. 216 ncogan@law.whittier.edu August 2011 COCKLE LAW BRIEF PRINTING CO. 800 225-6964 OR CALL COLLECT 402 342-2831 i QUESTIONS PRESENTED Amicus curiae respectfully submits that the Court consider the following questions: 1. Whether the text of the Religion Clauses and the “the basic scheme of the Constitution” demand that the federal courts create an affirmative defense of “ministerial exception.” 2. Whether the Congress in the Americans with Disabilities Act displaces the power of the federal courts to create and apply an affirmative defense of “ministerial exception” through the provision of a special exemption and specific defenses for religious entities. 3. Whether the federal courts can create and apply a “ministerial exception” to a neutral, generally appli- cable civil rights statute such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and thereby shield an employer from litigation of a claim of employment discrimination that may be unrelated to the employer’s religious beliefs and practices. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF AUTHORITIES iii INTEREST OF AMICUS CURIAE 1 SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT 2 ARGUMENT 4 I. THE TEXT OF THE RELIGION CLAUSES AND THE “BASIC SCHEME OF THE CONSTITUTION” DO NOT DEMAND THAT THE FEDERAL COURTS CREATE AN AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE OF “MIN- ISTERIAL EXCEPTION” 4 II. THE CONGRESS DISPLACES THE POWER OF THE FEDERAL COURTS TO CREATE AND APPLY A “MINISTERIAL EXCEPTION” TO T