John Bursch
Michigan
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Articles by John Bursch
Supreme Court should weigh government barriers to praying at home — yes, at home Original
Opinion>Opinions - Civil Rights The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of The Hill by John Bursch, opinion contributor - 06/12/26 12:30 PM ET Link copied by John Bursch, opinion contributor - 06/12/26 12:30 PM ET Link copied Jacquelyn Martin, Associated Press The Supreme Court is seen on April 30, 2026, in Washington. Perhaps yours is one of the many families in our country that pauses to pray before plunging into a sumptuous dinner.
Opinion - Supreme Court should protect kids from Colorado’s dangerous counseling law
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Chiles v. Salazar, in which a counselor is challenging a Colorado law that censors voluntary conversations between herself and her clients. Kaley Chiles sees her profession as an outpouring of her Christian faith. And although she accepts all clients, she is often sought out by clients who share her values. The law the Supreme Court will review forbids Kaley from having certain conversations on issues of gender and sexuality.
Supreme Court should protect kids from Colorado’s dangerous counseling law
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in Chiles v. Salazar, in which a counselor is challenging a Colorado law that censors voluntary conversations between herself and her clients. Kaley Chiles sees her profession as an outpouring of her Christian faith. And although she accepts all clients, she is often sought out by clients who share her values. The law the Supreme Court will review forbids Kaley from having certain conversations on issues of gender and sexuality.
How Obergefell Harmed Children
When I stood before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 to defend the constitutionality of state marriage laws rooted in the union of one man and one woman, I did so out of conviction, one grounded in centuries of legal tradition and a deep understanding of marriage’s social purpose. Marriage, as I argued, has always served a vital function: binding children to their biological mothers and fathers whenever possible. The government’s interest in marriage has never been about adult companionship.
Supreme Court Can Further Rule of Law With Latest Abortion Case
Chief Justice John Roberts famously told Congress during his 2005 confirmation hearing, “Judges are like umpires. Umpires don’t make the rules, they apply them.” He promised that if he was confirmed, he would “remember that it’s my job to call balls and strikes, and not to pitch or bat.” At the time, he was expressing a minority view of the courts’ proper role—including among justices. However, in the 20 years since, that view has become dominant.
Bursch: Supreme Court should let states put real health care ahead of Planned Parenthood
John Bursch The Detroit News View Comments In his first address to Congress this year, President Donald Trump pledged to end the “flagrant,” “appalling waste” of taxpayer dollars.
States Can and Should Protect Minors from Transgender Ideology
The Supreme Court should affirm that young people deserve love and support, not dangerous, life-altering, and unnecessary drugs and surgeries. Source link
Josh Brecheen, John Bursch, Michael Cloud, Vanessa Sivadge
On today’s program: Josh Brecheen, U.S. Representative for Oklahoma’s 2nd District, reacts to a new NBC report showing ISIS is smuggling illegal immigrants into the U.S. and shares why the GOP platform is so important. John Bursch, Alliance Defending Freedom’s Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy, comments on the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the abortion case, Idaho v. U.S..
Appeals Court: Religious Schools Can Hire and Fire Based on Beliefs
What rights do faith-based organizations have when it comes to personnel decisions—hiring or firing employees? It’s a question that’s long been debated in the courts. But a recent ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit has shed some much-needed light on the issue. The case in question, Billard v. Charlotte Catholic High School, involved a Catholic high school and a former English and drama teacher.
Baseless attacks on the Alliance Defending Freedom won’t help fix real Idaho issues | Opinion Original
Public discourse isn’t what it used to be. In more civilized days, a state’s decision to craft laws and defend them in court — all the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court — would have gained headlines, to be sure. But those stories would have universally focused on the issues, discussing the public policy enacted and the underlying legal arguments for nationally consequential rulings. It looks like those days are gone.
Idaho AG asks Supreme Court to stop Biden admin from forcing ER doctors to commit abortions
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Alliance Defending Freedom) — The Office of the Idaho Attorney General, with the assistance of seasoned Supreme Court litigators from Alliance Defending Freedom and Cooper & Kirk, filed its opening brief Tuesday with the U.S. Supreme Court, asking it to prevent the Biden administration from misusing federal law to override Idaho’s Defense of Life Act.
Irish Diocese to Rely on Laity to Preside Over Funerals Amid Shortage of Priests
Skip to content Menu Close JohnArmagh|Wikipedia St. Macartan’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Clogher, in Northern Ireland. Laypeople will soon preside over funerals in 12 parishes in the diocese due to a shortage of priests. Bishop Duffy said the lay ministers will continue to be trained over the coming months and be commissioned to preside over funerals in their parishes.
Pope Francis Did Not Just Authorize Priests to Bless Same-Sex Unions
Pope Francis Did Not Just Authorize Priests to Bless Same-Sex Unions Riccardo Luca Pope Francis blesses a married couple at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, November 15, 2023. COMMENTARY: Anyone who claims that the Fiducia Supplicans authorizes blessings of same-sex unions has not read the declaration or is intentionally misinterpreting it.
U.S. Dioceses Respond to Vatican Declaration on Same-Sex Couple Blessings
U.S. Dioceses Respond to Vatican Declaration on Same-Sex Couple Blessings Credit: Daniel Ibañez Cardinal Seán O’Malley, Bishop Andrew Cozzens, and Cardinal Blase Cupich. “The document still prohibits any sort of liturgical blessing of homosexual couples because such a blessing would ‘offer a form of moral legitimacy to a union that presumes to be a marriage or to an extra-marital sexual practice’.”
Pope Francis Did Not Just Authorize Priests to Bless Same-Sex Unions
COMMENTARY: Anyone who claims that the Fiducia Supplicans authorizes blessings of same-sex unions has not read the declaration or is intentionally misinterpreting it. Pope Francis blesses a married couple at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, November 15, 2023. (photo: Riccardo Luca / Shutterstock) Commentaries December 19, 2023 For the second time in a month, the media has taken a document from the Vatican and mangled it beyond all recognition.
Keith Self, John Bursch, Franklin Graham, Andy Biggs
On today’s program: Keith Self, U.S. Representative for the 3rd District of Texas, discusses the surge in attacks on U.S. troop stationed in the Middle East and the Biden administration’s incoherent strategy in response. John Bursch, Senior Counsel and Vice President of Appellate Advocacy at Alliance Defending Freedom, provides an update following the oral arguments in a case challenging the state of Colorado’s censorship of licensed professional counselors.
‘Transgender’ Baptisms? Sorting Out the Vatican’s Recent Statement
By John Bursch/National Catholic Register If you’ve been watching the news, you were likely surprised to see clickbait headlines from mainstream outlets like The Washington Post proclaiming: “Vatican says transgender people can be baptized, serve as godparents.” After all, such a headline conflicts directly with Pope Francis’ many declarations about gender ideology.
‘Transgender’ Baptisms? Sorting Out the Vatican’s Recent Statement, by John Bursch
Updating Hypocrisy, by Randall Smith November 15, 2023 By John Bursch, EWTN News, November 14, 2023 John Bursch is Vice President of Appellate Advocacy for Alliance Defending Freedom and owner of Bursch Law PLLC. He has argued 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases, three dozen state supreme court cases, and many others defending religious liberty, free speech, parental rights, marriage and family, and the right to life.
Pope Francis Invites Young People to be ‘God’s Answer’ to a Hopeless World
Pope Francis Invites Young People to be ‘God’s Answer’ to a Hopeless World Pope Francis smiles while addressing pilgrims at a vigil gathering on Aug. 5, 2023, at World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal. Pope Francis pointed to the high suicide rate among teens and young adults in some countries as a dramatic sign of the level of depression in the world.
‘Transgender’ Baptisms? Sorting Out the Vatican’s Recent Statement
‘Transgender’ Baptisms? Sorting Out the Vatican’s Recent Statement Burkin Denis As Pope St. John Paul II beautifully put it in his theology of the body, “the body expresses the person.” COMMENTARY: It is critically important to carefully read the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith’s answers to Bishop Negri’s questions in context — and to ignore silly headlines from media sources that do not understand Catholic teaching.
Was God Already There When the Water Overflowed?
Felipe Sanchez Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, California, is the seat of the Bishop of Orange. God is always with us. We just have to surrender to him.
‘Transgender’ Baptisms? Sorting Out the Vatican’s Recent Statement
COMMENTARY: It is critically important to carefully read the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith’s answers to Bishop Negri’s questions in context — and to ignore silly headlines from media sources that do not understand Catholic teaching.
John Bursch - NCRegister
John Bursch John Bursch is Vice President of Appellate Advocacy for Alliance Defending Freedom and owner of Bursch Law PLLC. He has argued 12 U.S. Supreme Court cases, three dozen state supreme court cases, and many others defending religious liberty, free speech, parental rights, marriage and family, and the right to life. A Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, John recently authored Loving God’s Children: The Church and Gender Ideology available at Sophia Institute Press.
Michigan’s Catholic parishes model faithful witness in face of abortion ballot
By John Bursch, Op-ed contributor | Sunday, October 16, 2022 For the past few Sundays, churchgoers at every Catholic church in Michigan have heard the same message — and for many, it may have been a surprising one. Bishops across the state have asked priests to educate and inform their parishioners about a specific issue on the ballot for Michiganders on Nov.
Proposed reproductive freedom initiative goes too far
Words matter. And that's especially true when those words will become a permanent part of Michigan's Constitution. So whenever a special interest group asks voters to support a constitutional amendment, we should pay special attention to the words they have chosen. Consider the full text of the "Right to Reproductive Freedom" ballot proposal that Planned Parenthood is currently circulating.
Opinion: Supreme Court vaccine mandate decision protects First Amendment rights
Some things are better left in the past. Believe it or not, it’s been a little over two years since COVID-19 became a reality in our lives — first in the outer reaches of the news cycle, then exploding into the global pandemic and daily disruption that we know today.
The American conversation about police reform is not going away. Here's an updated look.
It has been a long time since we last updated you on the destructive policy of the Supreme Court called “qualified immunity”. We are always on top. This is a key question in the national conversation on police reform. It is the subject of an ongoing series on USA TODAY Opinion, a problem in political campaigns, fodder for state lawmakers, and an article on numerous court cases. Here’s a look at the latest titles.
Americans' conversation about police reform isn't going away
It has been a while since we last updated you on the destructive Supreme Court policy called "qualified immunity." We're still on top of it. It's a key issue in the national conversation on police reform. It's the topic of an ongoing series at USA TODAY Opinion, an issue in political campaigns, fodder for state lawmakers and an item on numerous court dockets. Here's a look at the latest headlines. The latest from USA TODAY Roadside assistance caught the cop who killed my cousin.
University officials flagrantly violate student speech rights. Courts let them off the hook.
“Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” You may have heard this response from a police officer if you have ever tried to get out of a speeding ticket by arguing you were unaware of the speed limit. It is also one of the most recognized maxims of the American legal system. And for good reason. If subjective knowledge of the law were the standard for culpability, everyone would always plead ignorance after violating the law.
University officials flagrantly violate student speech rights. Courts let them off the hook.
“Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” You may have heard this response from a police officer if you have ever tried to get out of a speeding ticket by arguing you were unaware of the speed limit. It is also one of the most recognized maxims of the American legal system. And for good reason. If subjective knowledge of the law were the standard for culpability, everyone would always plead ignorance after violating the law.
Homeless outreach ordered to hire worker who opposes its principles goes to US Supreme Court
Across nearly nine decades of operation, Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission has proven unusually good at an unusually difficult job — helping the city’s growing number of homeless people find food, shelter, jobs … and most important, some measure of peace.
OPINION: Supreme Court’s Donor Privacy Ruling Affirms Freedoms On Which Our Republic Was Founded
In our increasingly polarized cultural climate, the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Thomas More Law Center v. Bonta and Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta was a welcome relief. Having represented Thomas More Law Center in the case, I continue to be struck by the significance of the decision since the court issued it on July 1.
A freedom on which all can agree; will the Supreme Court?
In our polarized national moment, the U.S. Supreme Court often rules on divisive issues. A few elites, including some Democratic state attorneys general, would have you believe that is the case in Thomas More Law Center v. Rodriquez, which the court will hear on Monday. But the public should know that this case is not divisive: an astoundingly diverse coalition of public-interest groups across the ideological spectrum all agree on what the outcome should be.
SCOTUS to decide whether constitutional rights can be violated without consequence
In America, our constitutional rights are sacred. They lie at the heart of our republic, and all governments actors must respect them. But what if government officials could violate our rights without any legal consequences? That’s exactly what happened outside of Atlanta, which is why the U.S. Supreme Court will be hearing arguments in Alliance Defending Freedom’s case, Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski, on Jan. 12. Chike Uzuegbunam was a student at Georgia Gwinnett College.
California’s Donor-Disclosure Law Threatens Religious Charities
As Americans, we often take for granted that our government generally has no business regulating what we believe, what we say, who we associate with, or what organizations we support financially. But California now demands that each of the more than 60,000 private charities registered in the state provide it annually with the names and addresses of their top donors. Regrettably, California’s attorneys general have not given such sensitive information the respect it deserves.
Constitution doesn't allow special burdens on pro-life speech, US Supreme Court should say so
Freedom of speech is one of America’s greatest values, shared by those across the political spectrum. It is our common ground. Without it, the country we know and love would not exist. The Bill of Rights, women’s voting rights, and the civil rights movement were all possible only because individuals had the freedom to convince their neighbors of the justness of their cause. Civil discourse about public issues is our nation’s bedrock.
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue Makes First Splash in Appellate Courts
The Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., January 21, 2020 (Will Dunham/Reuters) One month ago, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, holding that the Free Exercise Clause prohibits states from treating religious schools and their students less favorably than their secular counterparts simply because of their religious status.
Supreme Court to decide if constitutional rights are only valuable when a price tag is on them
ANALYSIS/OPINION: The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide an enormously important question: How much do we value constitutional rights? The case, Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski, will decide whether constitutional violations that do not cause actual damages — like many government infringements of free speech or religious liberty — are worthless or priceless. Value is often in the eyes of the beholder. A family heirloom may have zero monetary worth but still be “valuable” to the family. Irreplaceable.
US Supreme Court upholds religious liberty, forbids religious discrimination Original
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue resolves an issue that has plagued our First Amendment jurisprudence for over 100 years: so-called “Blaine Amendments” that discriminate against religious schools. Delivering a 5-4 decision for the court, Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion affirms a straightforward rule: Religious entities cannot be disqualified from public benefits just because they are religious.
Stability in the Law and Dignity for All – InsideSources
Americans must be able to rely on what the law says. That’s what’s so disappointing about the Supreme Court’s decision in the trio of Title VII employment discrimination cases: Bostock, Zarda and Harris Funeral Homes. As Justice Samuel Alito explained in his dissent from those decisions: “There is only one word for what the Court has done today: legislation.
Opinion: Supreme Court ruling redefining 'sex' affects more than a funeral home
John Bursch Published 10:57 p.m. ET June 18, 2020 The U.S. Supreme Court ruling against my client, Harris Funeral Homes, should be a concerning sign for all of us. In redefining “sex” in federal employment law to include “gender identity” and “sexual orientation,” the court signaled that Americans cannot rely on the plain meaning of the law. That is unfair. No one should be punished under a law that changed after they relied on it. Yet, that is exactly what happened to my client, Tom Rost.
Supreme Court's Title VII ruling is loss for originalism, separation of powers, diversity
Fairness and equality are two of the principles that Americans value most. Neither is possible without the rule of law, which is protected by the Constitution’s separation of powers to ensure that we have “a government of laws,” as John Adams put it. Sadly, the Supreme Court has not upheld those principles in its ruling in R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Recent SCOTUS Opinion May Shed Light on Outcome in Harris Funeral Homes | National Review
U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., November 2011 (Architect of the Capitol) There are few cases the U.S. Supreme Court will decide this term that are of more legal and cultural importance than R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC, which I argued before the court on behalf of the funeral home.
Supreme Court Should Reject New, Anti-Textualist ‘Evidence’ Regarding Title VII’s Prohibition On ‘Sex’ Discrimination
JURIST Guest Columnist John Bursch discusses a textualist interpretation of Title VII as applied to a case he argued before the Supreme Court last year... What did the American public understand the word “sex” to mean in 1964? That’s the foundational question before the Supreme Court in Harris Funeral Homes v. EEOC. This case originated when Harris Funeral Homes hired a male funeral director who agreed to follow the company’s sex-specific dress policy.
Respecting Freedom of Conscience, a Disappearing American Value | National Review
Alliance Defending Freedom and March for Life are urging the Supreme Court to reaffirm the country's commitment to honoring freedom of conscience.
Constitutional rights are priceless-someone should tell the 11th Circuit
Nowhere is the attack on constitutionally protected freedoms more evident than on college campuses—the purported marketplace of ideas—where administrators and faculty are more concerned with protecting students from new ideas than encouraging learning and growth. This “snowflake culture” is perpetuated by those in the rarified air of the ivory tower that leaves some university officials feeling they can do no wrong.
The ACLU's own Twitter feed shows what's at stake when 'sex' is redefined
In an Oct. 8 oral argument, the American Civil Liberties Union asked the U.S. Supreme Court to redefine sex in federal law. When pressed by the justices, the ACLU’s counsel said such a change would secure rights for transgender employees, but it would not result in men demanding access to women’s privacy spaces or affect the rights of women in sports. A recent ACLU tweet shows the exact opposite. The case, R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes v.
Key Question in Detroit Funeral Home Case at Supreme Court: Can We Rely on the Law?
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent the views of Townhall.com. The fate of a century-old Detroit mainstay hangs in the balance before the U.S. Supreme Court, but not likely for any reason you’d guess. In fact, once you know the broader implications of the case, you’ll realize why you should follow its outcome closely. After all, the outcome in G.R. & R.G. Harris Funeral Homes v.
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