McDaniel v. Paty

His opponent, Selma Cash Paty, successfully challenged his candidacy based on a state law that forbade ordained ministers from elected office.Ever since the Free Exercise Clause was incorporated against the states by Cantwell v. Connecticut the Court has recognized that the First Amendment protects religious beliefs absolutely.Quoting from Wisconsin v. Yoder the Court explains that "only those interests of the highest order...can overbalance legitimate claims to the free exercise of religion".[4][5] The Tennessee Supreme Court had already decided that the state interest in preventing the establishment of religion and avoiding divisiveness overcame McDaniel's Free Exercise claim.However widely that view may have been held in the 18th century by many, including enlightened statesmen of that day, the American experience provides no persuasive support for the fear that clergymen in public office will be less careful of anti-establishment interests or less faithful to their oaths of civil office than their unordained counterparts.The Court found that the Tennessee state constitutional provision "imposed an unconstitutional penalty upon appellant's exercise of his religious faith".
Supreme Court of the United StatesL. Ed. 2dS.W.2dFree Exercise ClauseWarren E. BurgerWilliam J. Brennan Jr.Potter StewartByron WhiteThurgood MarshallHarry BlackmunLewis F. Powell Jr.William RehnquistJohn P. StevensU.S. Const. amends. IUnited States Supreme CourtChattanooga, TennesseeTennessee legislatureTennessee State ConstitutionincorporatedCantwell v. ConnecticutWisconsin v. Yoderestablishment of religionWalz v. Tax Comm'nBraunfeld v. BrownSherbert v. VernerWilliam J. BrennanU.S. Supreme CourtEstablishment ClauseFirst Amendment to the United States ConstitutionMarsh v. ChambersLynch v. DonnellyBoard of Trustees of Scarsdale v. McCrearyCounty of Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties UnionVan Orden v. PerryMcCreary County v. American Civil Liberties UnionPleasant Grove City v. SummumSalazar v. BuonoTown of Greece v. GallowayAmerican Legion v. American Humanist AssociationWalz v. Tax Comm'n of the City of New YorkBob Jones University v. United StatesEstate of Thornton v. Caldor, Inc.Corp. of Presiding Bishop v. AmosTexas Monthly, Inc. v. BullockCity of Boerne v. FloresCutter v. WilkinsonEverson v. Board of EducationFlast v. CohenLemon v. KurtzmanTilton v. RichardsonCommittee for Public Education v. NyquistValley Forge Christian College v. Americans United for Separation of Church & StateMueller v. AllenAguilar v. FeltonWitters v. Washington Department of Services for the BlindZobrest v. Catalina Foothills School DistrictBoard of Ed. of Kiryas Joel Village School Dist. v. GrumetAgostini v. FeltonMitchell v. HelmsZelman v. Simmons-HarrisLocke v. DaveyArizona Christian Sch. Tuition Org. v. WinnTrinity Lutheran Church v. ComerEspinoza v. Montana Department of RevenueCarson v. MakinOklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. DrummondMcCollum v. Board of EducationZorach v. ClausonEngel v. VitaleAbington School District v. SchemppEpperson v. ArkansasStone v. GrahamWallace v. JaffreeEdwards v. AguillardWestside Community Board of Ed. v. MergensLee v. WeismanSanta Fe Ind. School Dist. v. DoeElk Grove Unif. School Dist. v. NewdowKennedy v. Bremerton School Dist.Lamb's Chapel v. Center Moriches Union Free School Dist.Capitol Square Review & Advisory Board v. PinetteRosenberger v. Univ. of VirginiaGood News Club v. Milford Central SchoolShurtleff v. City of BostonWatson v. JonesUnited States v. BallardPresbyterian Church v. Hull ChurchSerbian Orthodox Diocese v. MilivojevichHein v. Freedom From Religion FoundationBlue lawsMcGowan v. MarylandTorcaso v. WatkinsHarris v. McRaeLarkin v. Grendel's Den, Inc.Bowen v. KendrickTrump v. HawaiiMinisterial exceptionHosanna-Tabor v. EEOCOur Lady of Guadalupe School v. Morrissey-BerruGonzales v. O Centro Espírita Beneficente União do VegetalBurwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.Zubik v. BurwellLittle Sisters of the Poor Saints Peter and Paul Home v. PennsylvaniaTanzin v. TanvirRLUIPASossamon v. TexasHolt v. HobbsRamirez v. CollierReynolds v. United StatesDavis v. BeasonMinersville School District v. GobitisJamison v. TexasMurdock v. PennsylvaniaTucker v. TexasNiemotko v. MarylandKunz v. New YorkFowler v. Rhode IslandGallagher v. Crown Kosher Super Market of Massachusetts, Inc.Cruz v. BetoThomas v. Review Board of the Indiana Employment Security DivisionUnited States v. LeeBowen v. RoyGoldman v. WeinbergerO'Lone v. Estate of ShabazzEmployment Division v. SmithChurch of the Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of HialeahWatchtower Society v. Village of StrattonMasterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights CommissionFulton v. City of Philadelphia