US Supreme Court Sides With Catholic Adoption Agency Refusing To Work With Gay Couples

US Supreme Court Sides With Catholic Adoption Agency Refusing to Work With Gay Couples

The US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled unanimously against the city of Philadelphia refusing to contract with the child adoption agency Catholic Social Services (CSS) over the latter's refusal to work with same-sex foster parents because of its religious beliefs

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th June, 2021) The US Supreme Court on Thursday ruled unanimously against the city of Philadelphia refusing to contract with the child adoption agency Catholic Social Services (CSS) over the latter's refusal to work with same-sex foster parents because of its religious beliefs.

"The refusal of Philadelphia to contract with CSS for the provision of foster care services unless it agrees to certify same-sex couples as foster parents cannot survive strict scrutiny, and violates the First Amendment," Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the Supreme Court's opinion.

The Supreme Court said Philadelphia hampered the CSS from exercising its religious beliefs by forcing the organization to either to curtail its mission or certify same-sex couples as foster parents in violation of the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

A lower district court and the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit initially denied CSS's case, arguing that Philadelphia's actions were permissible under First Amendment precedents.