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SCOTUS Denies Request From Catholic Agency in Foster-Care Dispute

The court refused to rule on a dispute between Philadelphia and a Catholic agency that refuses to certify same-sex couples as foster parents.

The Supreme Court refused on Thursday to rule on the City of Philadelphia’s decision to stop placing foster children with a Catholic agency that refuses to accept same-sex couples as foster parents. The Catholic Social Services agency requested an injunction against the city, saying the “intake freeze” would force its foster-care program to close. The justices refused the request, citing current litigation over the dispute in lower courts. The order did not include the court’s reasoning behind the decision, but three conservative members of the court—Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch—said they would have granted the agency’s request.