Clay v. United States

Clay v. United States (1971) was a significant Supreme Court case concerning the rights of individuals dealing with selective service, particularly regarding conscientious objectors. The Court ruled that a person can be exempt from military service if they hold sincere religious beliefs against war and violence. This decision reinforced the importance of protecting individual rights to freedom of conscience and belief under the First Amendment. It established a legal precedent that the government must carefully evaluate claims of conscience when determining eligibility for military service.