Employment Division, Department of Human Resources of Oregon v. Smith
United States Supreme Court
494 U.S. 872 (1990)
Relevant factsFree
Smith and Black (plaintiffs) were fired for ingesting peyote for sacramental purposes at a Native American Church service, violating Oregon's generally applicable ban on knowing possession of a controlled substance, and were denied unemployment benefits as having been terminated for work-related misconduct; the Oregon Supreme Court ultimately held the denial violated the Free Exercise Clause.
IssueFree
Whether the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment permits the state of Oregon to criminalize religious practices that violate generally applicable laws.