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Reynolds v. United States, 98 U.S. 145 (1878), was a Supreme Court of the United States case which held that religious duty was not a defense to a criminal indictment. [1] Reynolds was the first Supreme Court opinion to address the First Amendment's protection of religious liberties, impartial juries and the Confrontation Clauses of the Sixth ...
Reynolds argued that his membership in the Mormon Church gave him the constitutional right of free religious exercise to marry a second wife. The Supreme Court disagreed, unanimously affirming a district court ruling that Reynolds had violated a federal anti-bigamy law governing the Territory of Utah.
George Reynolds, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was charged with bigamy under the federal Morrill Anti-Bigamy Act after marrying a woman while still married to his previous wife. Reynolds argued that the law was unconstitutional.
case, Reynolds v. United States, the Chief Justice called upon the founding fathers to decide whether polygamous Mormons in the Territory of Utah were immunized by their faith from prosecu tion under a federal statute outlawing bigamy.1 The Court's rul ing offered Mr. Reynolds, a minor Mormon official, no hope of
6 sie 2023 · United States, 98 U.S. 145 (1879), the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a federal law prohibiting polygamy did not violate the free exercise clause of the First Amendment. The Court’s decision was among the first to hold that the free exercise of religion is not absolute.
Upheld federal criminal law prohibiting polygamy and denied a Mormon’s free exercise claim to the practice, stating that beliefs could not be regulated but actions could.
Reynolds v. United States: It is not a valid defense to a crime to cite a religious belief or religiously imposed duty.
