Van Orden v. Perry (2005)
Definition
A 2005 U.S. Supreme Court case in which the court held that displaying a monument inscribed with the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the Texas State Capital does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Chief Justice Rehnquist, writing for the plurality, observed that "Such acknowledgments of the role played by the Ten Commandments in our Nation's heritage are common throughout America." Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677, 688 (2005). Furthermore, citing an earlier Supreme Court case, he stated that '"[We] find no constitutional requirement which makes it necessary for government to be hostile to religion and to throw its weight against efforts to widen the effective scope of religious influence." Id. at 684 (citing Zorach v. Clauson, 343 U.S. 306, 313–14 (1952)).
Illustrative caselaw
Van Orden v. Perry, 545 U.S. 677 (2005).
See also
Definition from Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in which the Court held that the U.S. Constitution did not bar the state of Texas from having a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of its state capitol building.
- Full text: Van Orden v. Perry (Nolo)
Definition provided by Nolo’s Plain-English Law Dictionary.
August 19, 2010, 5:27 pm
