No. 25-755

The Society of Apostolic Church Ministries Bishop, Elizabeth Gardner Corporation Sole and Her Successors v. United States

Lower Court: Ninth Circuit
Docketed: 2025-12-29
Status: Pending
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: church-autonomy church-property first-amendment fourteenth-amendment government-interference ministerial-exemption property-seizure religious-freedom-restoration-act
Key Terms:
FirstAmendment DueProcess
Latest Conference: 2026-02-20
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether the government violated the First Amendment, Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and Ministerial Exemption by seizing church property through a nominee

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

I. Whether the Ninth Circuit permitted the government to violate the First Amendment of the Constitution, Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise Clause that protects churches that own legitimate property in their name and prohibits undue interference of church by the government by seizing its assets using a nominee claiming the property was really owne d by its ministers. II. Whether the Ninth Circuit court erred when it affirmed a summary judgment against the non -moving party, an Ecclesiastical Church Society where there were many genuine disputes of material fact that should have been read in a light favorable to the Petitioner. A. Whether the church is able to change its name and file a deed without fear that the new name could lead to its property being levied by the government in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. B. Whether Yavapai a County assessor’s unwavering and responsible determination of full church exemption of real property owned for 25 years should not carry great weight regarding the ownership and beneficial use for religious purposes and exemption from taxes. ii C. Whether the Ministerial Exemption protects church autonomy declaring that church mission and church leadership remains free in their governance to fulfill an important religious role of control, leadership, parsonage allowances, and decisions of holding real and perso nal property.

Docket Entries

2026-02-04
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
2026-01-27
Waiver of United States of right to respond submitted.
2026-01-27
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2025-12-22
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 28, 2026)
2025-10-16
Application (25A435) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until December 21, 2025.
2025-10-09
Application (25A435) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from October 22, 2025 to December 21, 2025, submitted to Justice Kagan.

Attorneys

The Society of Apostolic Church Ministries Bishop, Elizabeth Gardner Corporation Sole and Her Successors
Gregory Alan RobinsonFarley Robinson & Larsen, Petitioner
Gregory Alan RobinsonFarley Robinson & Larsen, Petitioner
Gregory Alan RobinsonFarley Robinson & Larsen, Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent