WASHINGTON (thehill): The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that the city of Philadelphia ran afoul of religious protections when it cut ties with a Catholic adoption agency over its refusal to place foster children with same-sex couples.
Writing for the court, Chief Justice John Roberts said that Philadelphia’s move violated the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause. There were no dissents, but several justices wrote separate concurring opinions.
The dispute arose when Philadelphia stopped working with the foster agency after learning the group’s religious convictions barred it from placing children in the homes of gay and lesbian couples and determined the agency’s refusal violated the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance.
