Burwell V. Hobby Lobby Case Summary

The United States Supreme Court case of Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Inc. provided a landmark decision that centered on religious freedom, corporate “personhood” and the First Amendment. The issue began after the 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), in which companies are required by law to provide health insurance coverage to their employees.

The Burwell v. Hobby Lobby legal battle began in September 2012, when the owners of Hobby Lobby filed a lawsuit against the Secretary of Health and Human Services in the US District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, to stop the enforcement of the birth control mandate under the ACA. According to Jaime Fuller at the Washington Post, “It all starts with the Affordable Care Act. The …show more content…
These included the intrauterine devices (IUDs), as well as the emergency contraceptive pills Plan B and ella (Fuller). Because the Green family believes that life begins at conception, they claimed that being forced to offer these contraceptives violated their religious liberty. Hobby Lobby Inc. was joined on the petition by Mardel Christian and Educational Supply and Conestoga Wood Specialities, a mennonite owned furniture company. In their initial complaint the plaintiffs contended that “the mandate violates their statutory and constitutional rights and seek both declaratory and injunctive relief.” (CITE Court Doc) Judge Joe L. Heaton denied their request for a preliminary injunction on the grounds that Hobby Lobby, Mardel and Conestoga did not meet the requirements of a religious employer under the definition in the Affordable Care Act. This ruling lead Hobby Lobby to seek emergency relief, which

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