Home > Great American Court Cases > Walz v. Tax Commission

Legal Citation: 397 U.S. 664 (1970)

Appellant
Frederick Walz

Appellee
New York Tax Commission

Appellant's Claim
That a New York state property tax exemption granted to religious organizations constituted governmental establishment of religion, thus violating the First Amendment.

Chief Lawyer for Appellant
Edward J. Ennis

Chief Lawyer for Appellee
J. Lee Rankin

Justices for the Court
Hugo Lafayette Black, Harry A. Blackmun, William J. Brennan, Jr., Warren E. Burger (writing for the Court), John Marshall Harlan II, Thurgood Marshall, Potter Stewart, Byron R. White

Justices Dissenting
William O. Douglas

Place
Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision
4 May 1970

Decision
That the tax exemption did not constitute an establishment of religion and that it in fact...