<P> The Supreme Court under Earl Warren adopted an expansive view of the Free Exercise Clause . In , Sherbert v. Verner ( 1963 ) the Court held that states must have a `` compelling interest '' to refuse to accommodate religiously motivated conduct . The case involved Adele Sherbert , who was denied unemployment benefits by South Carolina because she refused to work on Saturdays , something forbidden by her Seventh - day Adventist faith . In Wisconsin v. Yoder ( 1972 ) , the Court ruled that a law that `` unduly burdens the practice of religion '' without a compelling interest , even though it might be `` neutral on its face , '' would be unconstitutional . </P>
<P> The Supreme Court under Earl Warren adopted an expansive view of the Free Exercise Clause . In , Sherbert v. Verner ( 1963 ) the Court held that states must have a `` compelling interest '' to refuse to accommodate religiously motivated conduct . The case involved Adele Sherbert , who was denied unemployment benefits by South Carolina because she refused to work on Saturdays , something forbidden by her Seventh - day Adventist faith . In Wisconsin v. Yoder ( 1972 ) , the Court ruled that a law that `` unduly burdens the practice of religion '' without a compelling interest , even though it might be `` neutral on its face , '' would be unconstitutional . </P>
when can the free exercise of religion be limited
when can the free exercise of religion be limited
states must have a `` compelling interest '' to refuse to accommodate religiously motivated conduct
states must have a `` compelling interest '' to refuse to accommodate religiously motivated conduct