Taking Stock of the Legal Battle Against the HHS Mandate
Posted by Matt Yonke (October 7, 2013 at 4:10 pm)
Today the Supreme Court begins a new term in which it may hear two cases related to the HHS Mandate.
Between this and the turmoil in Washington over funding Obamacare, today seems like a good day to take stock of the landscape in the ongoing legal challenges against the Mandate.
Of the 35 for-profit businesses that have brought lawsuits against the HHS Mandate so far, 30 have received temporary injunctions. This means that they do not have to obey the HHS Mandate while their case is pending. This kind of relief is typically granted when a judge believes they have a good chance of winning their case, which makes those numbers a very good sign.
There are 34 additional lawsuits from non-profit entities; of these, only one has been heard on its merits and most are stuck in procedural issues.
Two Cases the High Court May Hear
The two cases which stand a good chance of being heard by the Supreme Court are those brought by Hobby Lobby, who was granted an injunction, and Conestoga Wood Specialties, a Mennonite-owned woodworking company, which was denied an injunction.
Which cases the Court chooses to hear will give an indication of which way the ruling might go. If they choose to hear Hobby Lobby, it might mean that they believe the government has a good case in their argument that Hobby Lobby should not have been granted an injunction.
If, on the other hand, they choose to hear the Conestoga Wood case, it might indicate that they believe their appeal holds more merit, which would be a more promising outcome for religious freedom.
We’ll be tracking these cases as they move forward. Now that Obamacare has begun its implementation, we may be finally reaching the time when these cases can be heard and resolved. Keep yourself up to date and stay strong in prayer. This may be a critical moment for our nation.
To get a full view of all the case and where they currently stand, check out the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty’s HHS Mandate Information Central page. And check out the articles below for some more in-depth coverage on these stories.
Additional Resources
- Will the Supreme Court Review Hobby Lobby’s Case Against Obamacare?—Christianity Today
- Supreme Court Challenge to Obamacare’s Abortion Pill Mandate—Alliance Defending Freedom
- Church and state, executive power on Supreme Court docket—CNN.com