Santa Fe Independent School District v. Doe

Santa Fe Independent School Dist. v. Doe
Argued March 29, 2000
Decided June 19, 2000
Full case nameSanta Fe Independent School District, Petitioner v. Jane Doe, individually and as next friend for her minor children, Jane and John Doe, et al.
Citations530 U.S. 290 (more)
120 S. Ct. 2266; 147 L. Ed. 2d 295; 2099 U.S. LEXIS 4154
Case history
Prior933 F. Supp. 647 (S.D. Tex. 1996); affirmed in part, reversed in part, 168 F.3d 806 (5th Cir. 1999); rehearing en banc denied, 171 F.3d 1013 (5th Cir. 1999); cert. granted, 529 U.S. 1002 (2000).
Holding
The policy of the school district "permitting student-led, student-initiated prayer at [public high school] football games violates the Establishment Clause."
Court membership
Chief Justice
William Rehnquist
Associate Justices
John P. Stevens · Sandra Day O'Connor
Antonin Scalia · Anthony Kennedy
David Souter · Clarence Thomas
Ruth Bader Ginsburg · Stephen Breyer
Case opinions
MajorityStevens, joined by O'Connor, Kennedy, Souter, Ginsburg, Breyer
DissentRehnquist, joined by Scalia, Thomas
Laws applied
U.S. Const. amend. I

Santa Fe Independent School Dist. v. Doe, 530 U.S. 290 (2000), was a case heard before the United States Supreme Court. It ruled that a policy permitting student-led, student-initiated school prayer at high school football games violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Oral arguments were heard March 29, 2000. The court announced its decision on June 19, holding the policy unconstitutional in a 6–3 decision.