Douglas Laycock
Encyclopedia
Douglas Laycock is a law professor at the University of Virginia
, and he is a leading scholar in two fields: the law of remedies and the law of religious liberty.
and his J.D. from the University of Chicago
. He was a professor at the University of Chicago and at the University of Texas at Austin
before he came to the University of Michigan
. On January 12, 2010 the University of Virginia School of Law
announced that Laycock would be joining its faculty in the fall of 2010. Laycock moved to Virginia along with his wife, Teresa A. Sullivan
, who became the first female President of the University of Virginia.
Laycock was one of the people who testified in favor of the Religious Liberty Protection Act of 1998.
Laycock was a member of the Panel of Academic Contributors for Black's Law Dictionary
8th ed. (West Group, 2004) (ISBN 0-314-15199-0).
Laycock argues that exempting religious practices from regulation is constitutionally a good thing. But he acknowledges limits to such exemptions; he has said that "Of course religious believers have no constitutional right to inflict significant harm on nonconsenting others."
Laycock has represented parties in four Supreme Court cases on religious liberty. He represented the Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, successfully defending its right to sacrifice small animals in religious ceremonies. He represented the Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Antonio in an unsuccessful defense of Congress's power to enact the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and apply it to the states. And he represented anonymous parents and students in their successful objection to school-sponsored prayer at high school football games. Most recently, he represented Hosanna-Tabor Lutheran Church in a case over the ministerial exception.
He is one of three co-editors of the recently released book Same Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty. His own chapter in that volume argues that it is desirable, and usually possible, to protect the liberty of same-sex couples and also protect the liberty of religious conservatives who do not wish to support or facilitate same-sex marriages.
In the field of remedies, he is the author of a leading casebook, Modern American Remedies, and a monograph, The Death of the Irreparable Injury Rule. He has also written a history of the field.
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, and he is a leading scholar in two fields: the law of remedies and the law of religious liberty.
Biography
Laycock received his bachelor's degree from Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
and his J.D. from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. He was a professor at the University of Chicago and at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
before he came to the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. On January 12, 2010 the University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
announced that Laycock would be joining its faculty in the fall of 2010. Laycock moved to Virginia along with his wife, Teresa A. Sullivan
Teresa A. Sullivan
Dr. Teresa Ann Sullivan is the current president of the University of Virginia. She was unanimously elected on January 11, 2010, and became the University's first female president on August 1, 2010...
, who became the first female President of the University of Virginia.
Laycock was one of the people who testified in favor of the Religious Liberty Protection Act of 1998.
Laycock was a member of the Panel of Academic Contributors for Black's Law Dictionary
Black's Law Dictionary
Black's Law Dictionary is the most widely used law dictionary in the United States. It was founded by Henry Campbell Black. It is the reference of choice for definitions in legal briefs and court opinions and has been cited as a secondary legal authority in many U.S...
8th ed. (West Group, 2004) (ISBN 0-314-15199-0).
Laycock argues that exempting religious practices from regulation is constitutionally a good thing. But he acknowledges limits to such exemptions; he has said that "Of course religious believers have no constitutional right to inflict significant harm on nonconsenting others."
Laycock has represented parties in four Supreme Court cases on religious liberty. He represented the Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, successfully defending its right to sacrifice small animals in religious ceremonies. He represented the Roman Catholic Archbishop of San Antonio in an unsuccessful defense of Congress's power to enact the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and apply it to the states. And he represented anonymous parents and students in their successful objection to school-sponsored prayer at high school football games. Most recently, he represented Hosanna-Tabor Lutheran Church in a case over the ministerial exception.
He is one of three co-editors of the recently released book Same Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty. His own chapter in that volume argues that it is desirable, and usually possible, to protect the liberty of same-sex couples and also protect the liberty of religious conservatives who do not wish to support or facilitate same-sex marriages.
In the field of remedies, he is the author of a leading casebook, Modern American Remedies, and a monograph, The Death of the Irreparable Injury Rule. He has also written a history of the field.