Davis v. Beason (1850)
- Docket
- 1261
- Decided
- 1850-1900-
Summary
Question: Does a ban on polygamy violate the First Amendment right to free exercise of religion? Conclusion: In a unanimous decision authored by Justice Stephen J. Field, the Court rejected the notion that polygamy was a meaningful tenet of a religion, and thus rejected Davis' claim to First Amendment protections. Justice Field condemned the practices of polygamy and bigamy, saying, "To extend exemption from punishment for such crimes would be to shock the moral judgment of the community." The opinion notes that in the context of the First Amendment, "religion" refers primarily to "one's views of his relations to his Creator" and "modes of worship" and is not intended to be "invoked as a protection against legislation for the punishment of acts inimical to the peace, good order, and morals of society."