Won U.S. Courts of Appeals

Grote Industries v. Sebelius

Grote family, owners of Grote Industries (L to R): William Dominic Grote, IV, president and COO (board director); Walter F. Grote, Jr., retired chairman (board director); W. Frederick Grote, III, director of applications engineering (secretary of board of directors); William D. Grote, III, chairman and CEO (board director); John R. Grote, VP of sales and marketing (asst. secretary of board of directors); Michael R. Grote, molding division supervisor (asst. treasurer of board of directors)
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Summary

Grote Industries is a family-run auto lighting company based in Indiana. Founded in 1901 by William Grote, the Grote Family continues to operate its business according to the Catholic values of its founder. But when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a mandate requiring businesses to offer insurance coverage for abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception, the Grote Family was placed into an unavoidable dilemma. They must either violate their religious beliefs by providing the objectionable items, or they must pay heavy fines and penalties that could bring their family’s business to its knees. With the help of Alliance Defending Freedom, the Grote Family filed a lawsuit challenging the abortion pill mandate.

Although the District Court initially ruled against the Grote Family, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed the decision. The court found that "compelling [the Grote Family] to cover these services substantially burdens their religious exercise rights."

Alliance Defending Freedom is still fighting for the Grote Family and several other businesses who object to being forced to pay for abortion-inducing drugs. The U.S. Supreme Court has taken up one of our client's cases—Conestoga Woods Specialties Corp.—and Alliance Defending Freedom will be there to advocate on behalf of every Christian business owner who simply wants the freedom to operate their business according to their faith.

What's at stake

The freedom to operate a family business according to your deeply held beliefs without the fear of being punished by the government

Christian businesses being forced to pay for abortion-inducing drugs in violation of their religious, pro-life beliefs

Our role in this case

The Grote Family is represented by two of Alliance Defending Freedom's outstanding allied attorneys, Mike Wilkins and Michael Cork, along with Alliance Defending Freedom, who serves as co-counsel on the case. Together, we are defending their freedom to operate their business according to their deeply held religious beliefs.

Press Releases

Case Documents

Court
Title
Date
Appellate Court
7th Circuit decision
11/8/2013
Appellate Court
7th Circuit opening brief of appellants
2/19/2013
Appellate Court
Preliminary injunction order
1/30/2013
Appellate Court
Motion for injunction pending appeal
1/11/2013
Trial Court
Notice of appeal
1/9/2013
More Documents

Case Profiles

Matt Bowman
Matt Bowman
Senior Counsel, Director of Regulatory Practice
Matt Bowman serves as senior counsel and director of regulatory practice at Alliance Defending Freedom, where he focuses on the impact of administrative law on religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and family.
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