Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/13pdf/13a1284_ap6c.pdf
Page Number: 9

Cite as:  573 U. S. ____ (2014) 

9 

SOTOMAYOR, J., dissenting 

among the Circuits as a justification for the issuance of its 
order,  noting  that  “division  is  a  traditional  ground  for 
certiorari.”  Supra, at 1.  But a petition for writ of certio- 
rari is not before us.  Rather, given the posture of this appli- 
cation—for  an  emergency  injunction  under  the  All  Writs 
Act—division of authority is reason not to grant relief. 

B 
Wheaton’s  RFRA  claim  plainly  does  not  satisfy  our 

demanding standard for the extraordinary relief it seeks.

For one thing, the merits of this case are not before this 
Court  for  full  review;  adjudication  of  the  merits  is  still 
pending  in  the  District  Court.    So  nothing  necessitates 
intervention in order to “ ‘aid . . . our jurisdiction,’ ” Turner 
Broadcasting System, 507 U. S., at 1301 (alterations omit-
ted),  over  any  eventual  certiorari  petition  from  a  decision 
rendered  below.  If  the  Government  is  allowed  to  enforce 
the law, either Wheaton will file the self-certification form, 
or it will not.  Either way, there will remain a live contro-
versy  that  this  Court  could  adjudicate  after  the  case  is
decided on the merits below.  And either way, if Wheaton 
is  correct  in  its  challenge  to  the  law,  its  rights  will  be
vindicated and it will obtain the relief it seeks. 

As to the merits, Wheaton’s claim is likely to fail under
any  standard,  let  alone  the  standard  that  its  entitlement 
to  relief  be  “ ‘indisputably  clear,’ ”  ibid.   Wheaton  asserts 
that  filing  the  self-certification  form  might  ultimately
result  in  the  provision  of  contraceptive  services  to  its
employees,  thereby  burdening  its  religious  exercise.    And 
it  points  out  that  if  it  does  not  file  the  form,  it  will  face 
civil penalties.  But it is difficult to understand how these 
arguments make out a viable RFRA claim. 

RFRA  requires  Wheaton  to  show  that  the  accommoda-

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to  deny  this  one.    Moreover,  while  uniformity  certainly  is  important,

uniform error is not.