McDaniel v. Paty

Summary

The Court held that Tennessee could not disqualify an ordained minister from serving as a delegate to the State's constitutional convention because the provision burdened his right to the free exercise of religion. The restriction conditioned access to a civil office on surrendering a protected religious vocation, and Tennessee failed to show that excluding ministers was necessary to prevent establishment or religious divisiveness. Justice Brennan, joined by Justice Marshall, would also have found an Establishment Clause violation; Justice White would have relied on equal protection; and Justice Stewart would have treated the restriction as indistinguishable from a religious qualification for office.