Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/19-267_1an2.pdf
Page Number: 1.0

(Slip Opinion) 

OCTOBER  TERM,  2019 

1 

Syllabus 

NOTE:  Where  it  is  feasible,  a  syllabus  (headnote)  will  be  released,  as  is 
being  done  in  connection  with  this  case,  at  the  time  the  opinion  is  issued. 
The  syllabus  constitutes  no  part  of  the  opinion  of  the  Court  but  has  been 
prepared  by  the  Reporter  of  Decisions  for  the  convenience  of  the  reader. 
See United States v. Detroit Timber & Lumber Co., 200 U. S. 321, 337. 

SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES 

Syllabus 

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE SCHOOL v. MORRISSEY-
BERRU 

CERTIORARI TO THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR 
THE NINTH CIRCUIT 

No. 19–267.  Argued May 11, 2020—Decided July 8, 2020* 

The First Amendment protects the right of religious institutions “to de-
cide  for  themselves,  free  from  state  interference,  matters  of  church 
government as well as those of faith and doctrine.”  Kedroff v. Saint 
Nicholas  Cathedral  of  Russian  Orthodox  Church  in  North  America, 
344 U. S. 94, 116.  Applying this principle, this Court held in Hosanna-
Tabor  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  and  School  v.  EEOC,  565  U. S. 
171,  that  the  First  Amendment  barred  a  court  from  entertaining  an 
employment  discrimination  claim  brought  by  an  elementary  school 
teacher, Cheryl Perich, against the religious school where she taught. 
Adopting  the  so-called  “ministerial  exception”  to  laws  governing  the 
employment  relationship  between  a  religious  institution  and  certain 
key employees, the Court found relevant Perich’s title as a “Minister 
of Religion, Commissioned,” her educational training, and her respon-
sibility to teach religion and participate with students in religious ac-
tivities.  Id., at 190–191. 

In these cases, two elementary school teachers at Roman Catholic 
schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles had teaching responsibilities
similar to Perich’s.  Agnes Morrissey-Berru taught at Our Lady of Gua-
dalupe  School  (OLG),  and  Kristen  Biel  taught  at  St.  James  School.
Both  were  employed  under  nearly  identical  agreements  that  set  out 
the  schools’  mission  to  develop  and  promote  a  Catholic  School  faith 
community;  imposed  commitments  regarding  religious  instruction, 
worship, and personal modeling of the faith; and explained that teach-
ers’  performance  would  be  reviewed  on  those  bases.    Each  was  also 

—————— 

* Together with No. 19–348, St. James School v. Biel, as Personal Rep-

resentative of the Estate of Biel, on certiorari to the same Court.