Zelman v. Simmons-Harris

E37571

Zelman v. Simmons-Harris is a 2002 U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld a school voucher program, ruling that public funds could be used for tuition at religious schools without violating the Establishment Clause.

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Establishment Clause case
United States Supreme Court case
education law case
landmark case
areaOfLaw church–state relations
constitutional law
education law
arguedDate February 20, 2002
chiefJusticeAtDecision William H. Rehnquist
citation 536 U.S. 639
city Cleveland
constitutionalProvision Establishment Clause
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
country United States of America
surface form: United States
court Supreme Court of the United States
decisionDate June 27, 2002
decisionType 5–4 decision
dissentingJustices David H. Souter NERFINISHED
John Paul Stevens NERFINISHED
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Stephen G. Breyer NERFINISHED
docketNumber 00-1751
fullCaseName Zelman v. Simmons-Harris self-linksurface differs
surface form: Zelman, Superintendent of Public Instruction of Ohio, et al. v. Simmons-Harris et al.
holding Public funds may be used for tuition at religious schools under a neutral program of private choice
The Ohio school voucher program does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment
issue Whether a school voucher program that includes religious schools violates the Establishment Clause
language English
legalTestApplied private choice test
lowerCourtCitation 234 F.3d 945 (6th Cir. 2000)
lowerCourtDecision Sixth Circuit held the voucher program unconstitutional
majorityJustices Anthony M. Kennedy NERFINISHED
Antonin Scalia NERFINISHED
Clarence Thomas NERFINISHED
Sandra Day O’Connor
William H. Rehnquist
majorityOpinionBy William H. Rehnquist
originatingJurisdiction United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
precedentFor constitutionality of school voucher programs including religious schools
programChallenged Ohio Pilot Project Scholarship Program
programCharacteristics aid reached religious schools only as a result of independent decisions of parents
program was neutral with respect to religion
relatedConcept school choice
school vouchers
separation of church and state
result school voucher program upheld
reversed United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
state Ohio

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Zelman v. Simmons-Harris fullCaseName Zelman v. Simmons-Harris self-linksurface differs
this entity surface form: Zelman, Superintendent of Public Instruction of Ohio, et al. v. Simmons-Harris et al.
Establishment Clause keyCase Zelman v. Simmons-Harris