Zummo v. Zummo

Pamela (plaintiff, Jewish) and David Zummo (defendant, Catholic), divorced with shared custody, had agreed to raise their children Jewish, but David wanted to take the children to Catholic Mass during his custody time. Pamela sought to compel David to take the children to Sunday School and to prohibit him from bringing them to Mass, and the trial court ruled in her favor.

Whether, to justify restrictions on a parent's right to inculcate religious beliefs in a child, the parent seeking the restrictions must show that the beliefs pose a substantial threat of harm to the child and that the restriction is the least intrusive means to prevent the harm.