United States v. Seeger (1964)
- Docket
- 50
- Decided
- 1964-01-01
- Category
- General
Summary
Question: Was the exemption provision unconstitutional for requiring proof of a Supreme Being? Conclusion: A person can have conscientious objector status based on a belief that has a similar position in that person's life to the belief in God. In a unanimous decision authored by Justice Clark, the Court ruled that the statute was constitutional. Since there are over 250 religious groups in the United States, the Court reasoned, Congress could not be expected to specifically cover each of them in this federal law. In general, a conscientious objection is based on a religious belief rather than political, sociological, or philosophical views. The term "Supreme Being" should be interpreted to cover all types of faith, and the defendant's belief system fell within them, so it qualified for the exemption. However, the statute was held to be constitutional on its face. Justice Douglas concurred.