Briefs Archives - Robertson Center for Constitutional Law

Robertson Center for Constitutional Law Celebrates Pro-Life Victory at Supreme Court

Mike Schietzelt — Sat, 25 Jun 2022 02:07:14 +0000

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (June 24, 2022) – Today, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overruled two major abortion cases; Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey.

The Robertson Center for Constitutional Law collaborated with the Christian Legal Society to file an important friend-of-the-court brief in support of the prevailing party. The Center’s brief argued that the Court should overrule Roe and Casey and allow states to craft abortion policy through the democratic process. The Court agreed.

“This is a generational victory for the pro-life movement and the rule of law,” said Brad Lingo, dean of Regent University School of Law and executive director of the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law. “We were honored to partner with the Christian Legal Society and the Hon. Kenneth Starr on our brief,” said Mike Schietzelt, the Robertson Center’s constitutional law fellow—who co-authored the Center’s brief with Dean Brad Lingo, Judge Kenneth Starr, and Kim Colby of the Christian Legal Society.

The Center’s brief in Dobbs is one of four Supreme Court matters that the Robertson Center has worked on in the past two years. “The Center provides Regent students and faculty with an extraordinary platform to work on important constitutional law matters. We look forward to continuing this important work as we train the next generation of advocates,” said Dean Lingo.

The Robertson Center for Constitutional Law is an academic center within the Regent University School of Law. Established in 2020, the Center pairs advocacy and scholarship to advance first principles in constitutional law, including originalism, separation of powers, and religious liberty. The Robertson Center has represented former members of Congress, Christian ministries, and others in briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court and other appellate courts. Learn more about the work of the Robertson Center at https://constitutionallaw.regent.edu/our-work/.

About Regent University

Founded in 1978, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university with more than 11,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University, ranked among top national universities (U.S. News & World Report, 2020), is one of only 23 universities nationally to receive an “A” rating for its comprehensive liberal arts core curriculum.

About Regent Law

Regent Law’s more than 3,300 graduates practice law in 49 states and over 20 countries and include 38 currently sitting judges. The School of Law is currently ranked 22^nd in the nation for obtaining judicial clerkships and ranked 20^th in the nation for Ultimate Bar Passage in 2019. The school offers the Juris Doctor (J.D.) in three-year and part-time formats, an online M.A. in Law, an online M.A. in Financial Planning & Law, an on-campus and online LL.M. in Human Rights, and an on-campus and online LL.M. in American Legal Studies.

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Robertson Center Asks Supreme Court To Hear Case Regarding New York’s Vaccine Mandates

Mike Schietzelt — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 14:00:17 +0000

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (March 18, 2022) – Today, the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court asking the Court to hear Dr. A v. Hochul. That case challenges New York’s vaccine mandate for healthcare workers, which lacks an exemption for religious objectors. Sixteen healthcare workers have asked the Supreme Court to strike down that mandate. All but one of them have lost their jobs, lost their admitting privileges, or been coerced into vaccination.

The Robertson Center’s brief specifically asks the Court to revisit Employment Division v. Smith, a thirty-year-old case that fundamentally altered the understanding of the Free Exercise Clause. “Even as they respond to the COVID–19 pandemic, those who govern us must not ignore the good-faith objections of religious Americans,” said Brad Lingo, executive director of the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law. “This case illustrates how Smith continues to plague our Free Exercise law and provides another chance for the Court to remind Americans that the Free Exercise Clause means what it says.”

This is the sixth brief—and fourth U.S. Supreme Court brief—filed by the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law since the Center was established in the summer of 2020.

The Robertson Center for Constitutional Law is an academic center within the Regent University School of Law. The center pairs advocacy and scholarship to advance first principles in constitutional law, including originalism, separation of powers, and religious liberty. The Robertson Center has represented former members of Congress, Christian ministries, and others in briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court and circuit courts of appeals. Learn more about the work of the Robertson Center at https://constitutionallaw.regent.edu/our-work/.

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About Regent University

Founded in 1978, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university with more than 11,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study, including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University, ranked among top national universities (U.S. News & World Report, 2020), is one of only 23 universities nationally to receive an “A” rating for its comprehensive liberal arts core curriculum.

About Regent Law

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Robertson Center Files Brief Asking Supreme Court To Hear Case Regarding Religious Discrimination In The Workplace

Mike Schietzelt — Thu, 23 Dec 2021 14:25:13 +0000

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (December 23, 2021) – Today, the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty. The brief asks the Court to hear Hedican v. Walmart Stores East, L.P., a case involving employment discrimination against a religious employee. Edward Hedican, a Seventh-day Adventist, lost his job as an assistant manager at Walmart before his first day of work. The reason: he asked Walmart to let him rest on his Sabbath.

“The freedom to worship and the freedom to work are core American values,” said Professor Mike Schietzelt, constitutional law fellow of the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law. “We’re honored to represent the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty in advocating for religious liberty for people of all faiths.”

This is the fifth brief—and third U.S. Supreme Court brief—filed by the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law since the Center was established in May of 2020.

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About Regent University

Founded in 1978, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university with more than 11,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study, including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University, ranked among top national universities (U.S. News & World Report, 2020), is one of only 23 universities nationally to receive an “A” rating for its comprehensive liberal arts core curriculum.

About Regent Law

The post Robertson Center Files Brief Asking Supreme Court To Hear Case Regarding Religious Discrimination In The Workplace appeared first on Robertson Center for Constitutional Law.

Robertson Center Files U.S. Supreme Court Brief Advocating for the Unborn

Mike Schietzelt — Thu, 29 Jul 2021 11:38:49 +0000

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (July 28, 2021) – Today, the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law and the Christian Legal Society filed an amicus brief in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. This is the fourth brief — and second U.S. Supreme Court brief — filed by the Robertson Center since Regent University launched the center last summer.

Many court watchers view Dobbs as the most significant abortion case that the Supreme Court has taken in decades. In Dobbs, the court will consider the constitutionality of a Mississippi law prohibiting most abortions after 15 weeks.

“Dobbs is the most significant abortion-related case in a generation,” said Professor Brad Lingo, executive director of the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law. “We’re grateful that the Robertson Center could play such a meaningful role and do it with a partner like the Christian Legal Society. We’re asking the Supreme Court to restore our constitutional traditions and return to the people the role of determining abortion-related policy.”

The work provided an opportunity for Regent Law students to get firsthand experience working on a Supreme Court brief. “It was an incredible learning experience to observe leading Christian constitutional lawyers strategize and craft a Supreme Court brief,” stated Gabrielle Bruno, a rising second-year student at Regent Law who serves as an intern at the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law. “My experience with the center deepened my understanding of appellate advocacy and sparked a passion to get more involved in this work.”

The Robertson Center for Constitutional Law is an academic center within the Regent University School of Law. Established in 2020, the center pairs advocacy and scholarship to advance first principles in constitutional law, including originalism, separation of powers, and religious liberty. The Robertson Center has represented former members of Congress, Christian ministries, and others in briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court and circuit courts of appeals. Learn more about the work of the Robertson Center at https://constitutionallaw.regent.edu/our-work/.

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About Regent University

Founded in 1978, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university with more than 11,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study, including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University, ranked among top national universities (U.S. News & World Report, 2020), is one of only 23 universities nationally to receive an “A” rating for its comprehensive liberal arts core curriculum.

About Regent Law

The post Robertson Center Files U.S. Supreme Court Brief Advocating for the Unborn appeared first on Robertson Center for Constitutional Law.

Robertson Center for Constitutional Law Celebrates Victory for Religious Liberty

Lisa Marie Otto — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 18:47:15 +0000

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (June 22, 2021) – On June 17, 2021, the United States Supreme Court issued a unanimous ruling in favor of Catholic Social Services in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. The same day, the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law also filed a brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Maxon v. Fuller Theological Seminary. June 17 was a monumental day for the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law and–more importantly–a monumental day for religious liberty in the United States.

“As these cases demonstrate, the center gives our students and faculty a platform to influence some of today’s most important matters of constitutional law,” stated Mark Martin, dean of Regent University School of Law. “We celebrate this work today and will continue our advocacy to preserve, protect, and uphold the Constitution of the United States.”

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a long-awaited decision concerning religious liberty on June 17. It came in the form of a unanimous 9-0 ruling in favor of Catholic Social Services and foster mothers Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. The Robertson Center filed an important brief in June 2020 in support of the prevailing parties.

The Robertson Center’s brief argued that the Court should overrule Employment Division v. Smith, a 1990 case that eroded protections for the free exercise of religion. In December 2020, the Robertson Center built on that brief by publishing an article in the Regent University Law Review exploring developments since Smith was decided thirty years ago. Although the Court in Fulton stopped short of overruling Smith, Fulton was the first U.S. Supreme Court decision in which a majority of Supreme Court Justices agreed that Smith should be overruled.

“It was a heartening surprise to see every single Supreme Court Justice rule in favor of religious liberty,” said Brad Lingo, professor at Regent University School of Law and executive director of the Robertson Center for Constitutional Law. “It’s rewarding to know that our advocacy mattered in this case.”

The same day as the U.S. Supreme Court ruling, the Robertson Center also filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Maxon v. Fuller Theological Seminary. In this case, the Robertson Center represented Campus Crusade for Christ, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, Chi Alpha Ministries, and Young Life in defending the importance of the First Amendment’s rights of assembly and expressive association.

The Robertson Center for Constitutional Law is an academic center within the Regent University School of Law. Established in 2020, the Center pairs advocacy and scholarship to advance first principles in constitutional law, including originalism, separation of powers, and religious liberty. The Robertson Center has represented former members of Congress, Christian ministries, and others in briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court and circuit courts of appeal. Learn more about the work of the Robertson Center at https://constitutionallaw.regent.edu/our-work/.

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About Regent University

About Regent Law

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