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Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist, Inc. v. Joel Frederic, et ux.

Paid petition · Supreme Court of Kentucky, No. 2024-SC-0006 · judgment December 18, 2025


2%
estimated cert probability
(petition-stage, structural)
Conference-stage estimate: 14%
GVR risk 2%

Well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.

Questions presented

  1. Whether a land-use regulation that prohibits a religious institution from building a religious structure on its own property constitutes a “substantial burden” on religious exercise under the Substantial Burden Provision of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc(a).

  2. Whether a land-use regulation violates the Equal Terms Provision of RLUIPA, 42 U.S.C. § 2000cc(b)(1), by imposing express restrictions on religious assemblies or institutions that it does not impose on nonreligious assemblies or institutions.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
John Franklin Bash
Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP

For respondent
Parker Andrew Rider-Longmaid
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Amicus briefs
16 cert-stage

Proceedings

  1. Sep 02 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/28/2026.
  2. Sep 01 2026
    Reply of petitioner Missionaries of Saint John The Baptist, Inc. filed. (Distributed)
  3. Aug 14 2026
    Brief of respondents Joel Frederic, et ux. in opposition filed.
  4. Jul 01 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including August 14, 2026.
  5. Jun 30 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from July 15, 2026 to August 14, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
  6. May 28 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including July 15, 2026.
  7. May 27 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from June 15, 2026 to July 15, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
  8. May 14 2026
    Response Requested. (Due June 15, 2026)
  9. May 12 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/28/2026.
  10. Apr 27 2026
    Waiver of right of respondents Joel Frederic and Elizabeth Frederic to respond filed.
  11. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of American Center for Law and Justice filed.
  12. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of Protect the First Foundation filed.
  13. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of The Muslim Public Affairs Council filed.
  14. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of Association of Christian Schools International filed.
  15. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of Coalition For Jewish Values filed.
  16. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Evangelicals filed.
  17. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amici curiae of Kentucky, et al. filed.
  18. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of Anash Inc., dba Wyoming Valley Yeshiva filed.
  19. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amici curiae of Manhattan Institute, et al. filed.
  20. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of Free Exercise Clinic at Yale Law School filed.
  21. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of American Hindu Jewish Congress filed.
  22. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of Notre Dame Religious Liberty Clinic filed.
  23. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of Monsignor Charles M. Mangan filed.
  24. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of Sikh Coalition filed.
  25. Apr 27 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of The Priory of Saint Albert the Great filed.
  26. Apr 07 2026
    Brief amicus curiae of Liberty, Life and Law Foundation filed.
  27. Mar 18 2026
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due April 27, 2026)