McDaniel v. Paty

McDaniel v. Paty was a case before the United States Supreme Court, which struck down the last remaining state restriction against religious ministers holding elected office.

Background

McDanial was a Baptist minister from Chattanooga, Tennessee. He filed as a candidate to be a delegate to the 1977 Tennessee State Constitutional Convention. His opponent successfully challenged his candidacy based on a state law that forbade ordained ministers from elected office.

Decision

The court ruled that the state law violated both the First and Fourteenth amendments.