Today in Supreme Court History: November 25

Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v. Cuomo, 141 S.Ct. 63 (decided November 25, 2020): in a 5 – 4 vote, Court grants stay on Free Exercise grounds of Covid-19 executive order limiting church attendance to ten persons in red zones or 25 persons in orange zones; less restrictive alternatives available

Yates v. United States, 355 U.S. 66 (decided November 25, 1957): refusal to give names of Communist Party members results in only one conviction for contempt even though question was asked and refusal to answer ten times (in the more important decision in this case, the Court held that the First Amendment restricts Smith Act convictions to advocacy of specific overthrow actions, not overthrow as a general principle, 354 U.S. 298)

Saxbe v. Bustos, 419 U.S. 65 (decided November 25, 1974): ruling against Farmworkers Union and holding that INS regulations permit aliens to cross border for daily work with only a green card and without need of certification from the Secretary of Labor