Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/19a1070_08l1.pdf
Page Number: 14.0

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CALVARY CHAPEL DAYTON VALLEY v. SISOLAK 

KAVANAUGH, J., dissenting 

services  violates  the  Constitution.    To  be  clear,  a  State’s 
closing  or  reopening  plan  may  subject  religious  organiza-
tions  to the  same  limits  as  secular  organizations.   And  in 
light of the devastating COVID–19 pandemic, those limits 
may be very strict.  But a State may not impose strict limits 
on places of worship and looser limits on restaurants, bars, 
casinos, and gyms, at least without sufficient justification 
for the differential treatment of religion.  As I will explain, 
Nevada has thus far failed to provide a sufficient justifica-
tion, and its current reopening plan therefore violates the 
First Amendment. 
  In Part I, I will explain how this case fits into the Court’s 
broader  religion  jurisprudence.    In  Part  II,  I  will  explain 
why  Nevada’s  treatment  of  religious  organizations  is  un-
constitutional under the Court’s precedents. 

I 
  Religion  cases  are  among  the  most  sensitive  and  chal-
lenging in American law.  Difficulties can arise at the outset 
because the litigants in religion cases often disagree about 
how  to  characterize  a  law.    They  may  disagree  about 
whether a law favors religion or discriminates against reli-
gion.  They may disagree about whether a law treats reli-
gion equally or treats religion differently.  They may disa-
gree  about  what  it  means  for  a  law  to  be  neutral  toward 
religion. 
  The definitional battles over what constitutes favoritism, 
discrimination, equality, or neutrality can influence, if not 
decide,  the  outcomes  of  religion  cases.    But  the  parties  to 
religion cases and the judges deciding those cases often do 
not  share  a  common  vocabulary  or  common  background 
principles.  And  that  disconnect  can  muddy  the  analysis, 
build resentment, and lead to litigants and judges talking 
past one another. 
  In my view, some of the confusion and disagreement can