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ALLEGHENY COUNTY v. GREATER PITTSBURGH ACLU Case Brief
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Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: The Supreme Court evaluated two separate holiday displays on public property. It found that a lone creche inside a courthouse was an unconstitutional endorsement of Christianity, but a menorah displayed next to a Christmas tree and a sign saluting liberty was permissible under the Establishment Clause.
Legal Significance: This case established Justice O’Connor’s “endorsement test” as the controlling standard for Establishment Clause challenges to religious displays. The constitutionality of such displays now hinges on whether, in its specific context, a reasonable observer would perceive it as a governmental endorsement of religion.
ALLEGHENY COUNTY v. GREATER PITTSBURGH ACLU Law School Study Guide
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Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
This case involved two separate holiday displays on public property in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first was a creche, depicting the Christian nativity scene, placed on the Grand Staircase inside the Allegheny County Courthouse, the seat of county government. The creche was the sole feature of the display, adorned with a floral frame and a banner reading “Gloria in Excelsis Deo!” A small sign indicated it was donated by the Holy Name Society, a Catholic group. The second display was located outside the City-County Building. It consisted of an 18-foot Chanukah menorah, owned by a private Jewish organization but erected and stored by the city. The menorah was placed next to a 45-foot Christmas tree and a sign bearing the mayor’s name, titled “Salute to Liberty.” The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued, claiming both displays violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Do a creche displayed alone in a county courthouse and a menorah displayed next to a Christmas tree outside a city-county building constitute governmental endorsements of religion in violation of the Establishment Clause?
Yes, as to the creche; no, as to the menorah. The creche Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat
IRAC Legal Analysis
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Legal Issue
Do a creche displayed alone in a county courthouse and a menorah displayed next to a Christmas tree outside a city-county building constitute governmental endorsements of religion in violation of the Establishment Clause?
Conclusion
This decision solidified the context-specific endorsement test as the primary tool for Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
Legal Rule
Under the Establishment Clause, a government practice that touches upon religion is Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod
Legal Analysis
The Court, in a fractured opinion authored by Justice Blackmun, adopted the Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- The Supreme Court held that a crèche inside a courthouse violated