Law Commons^™

The Rise Of Public School Prayer With The Demise Of Lemon V. Kurtzman, Samantha Thompson Lipp

Mercer Law Review

The Supreme Court of the United States has officially overturned Lemon v. Kurtzman. The controversial and heavily criticized Lemon opinion sets forth the primary test courts used for over fifty years in analyzing claims under the Establishment Clause. The official overruling of Lemon signals the Supreme Court’s embrace of a more accommodating approach toward religion in the public sphere. This Comment predicts how, in Lemon’s absence, the Supreme Court will likely reassess precedent in the context of public school prayer and become more accommodating of religion.

In Part II, this Comment addresses the three approaches to interpreting the …