The Thomas More Society is a conservative Roman CatholicAmanda Hollis-Brusky & Joshua C. Wilson, Separate But Faithful: The Christian Right's Radical Struggle to Transform Law & Legal Culture (Oxford University Press, 2020), p. 128: "the Chicago-based Thomas More Society (TMS), a different conservative Catholic PILO"Eugene Volokh, Ban on profane, rude, or indecent speech that disturbs houses of worship violates the First Amendment, The Volokh Conspiracy, Washington Post (March 9, 2015): "the Thomas More Society would generally be seen as a conservative Catholic public interest law firm" public-interest law firm based in Chicago. The group has been engaged in many "culture war" issues, promoting its anti-abortion and anti-same-sex marriage beliefs through litigation. The society filed cases as part of Donald Trump's failed attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Trump was defeated.Jon Swaine, Rosalind S. Helderman, Josh Dawsey and Tom Hamburger, Conservative nonprofit group challenging election results around the country has tie to Trump legal adviser Jenna Ellis, Washington Post (December 7, 2020).
History and ideology Founded by Tom Brejcha in 1997, the group won two U.S. Supreme Court victories against the National Organization for Women in Scheidler v. National Organization for Women in 2003 and 2006. Brejcha is the president and chief counsel of the group.Jack Bouboushian, Court Nixes Challenge to Contraceptive Mandate, Courthouse News Service (September 18, 2013). The Thomas More Society has been engaged in many "culture war" issues, promoting its anti-abortion and anti-same-sex marriage beliefs through litigation.
The Thomas More Society is one of a broader set of Christian conservative legal organizations (CCLOs),Henry Farrell, These are the conservative legal groups behind the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, Washington Post (December 5, 2017). which include Alliance Defending Freedom, American Center for Law and Justice, First Liberty Institute, Freedom of Conscience Defense Fund, Liberty Counsel, National Legal Foundation, Christian Legal Society, and Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.
Organization The Thomas More Society received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status in November 1999.Thomas More Society, ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. On its 2022 Form 990, it reported revenue of $13.4 million and expenses of $16.3 million.
The society is listed on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' "Directory of Lay Movements, Organizations, and Professional Associations" as a National Catholic Association.
Litigation Reproduction issues In partnership with the CatholicVote Legal Defense Fund, the Thomas More Society has challenged the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act's mandate requiring companies' health insurance plans to cover contraceptives and sterilization.Jennifer S. Mann, Missouri lawmaker, wife ask court for contraception insurance exclusion, Religion News Service (September 9, 2014).
In 2015, the Thomas More Society filed amicus briefs in the civil case of actress Sofia Vergara, who was sued by her ex-boyfriend in a frozen embryo case; the society, along with other anti-abortion groups, sought to have the courts treat the embryo as children (under a "best interests of the child" standard) rather than as marital property. The case tied into a broader "personhood" debate that had emerged in the politics of abortion.
In 2016, the Thomas More Society represented anti-abortion activist David Daleiden, of California, pro bono.
In 2018, the Executive Council of Iowa, which included Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, hired the Thomas More Society to defend Iowa in a legal challenge against Iowa's recently passed abortion law, the strictest in the nation.Council OKs outside law firm to defend Iowa in abortion suit, Associated Press (May 21, 2018). The group stepped in to represent the state after Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller, a Democrat, declined to defend the law's constitutionality.Rox Laird, Anti-Abortion Group Can't Join Iowa Legal Brawl, Courthouse News Service (September 6, 2018). The group represented the state without a fee.David Pitt, Judge agrees to halt fetal heartbeat abortion law in Iowa, Associated Press (June 1, 2018). A state court blocked the Iowa law from going into effect.
In 2023 the Thomas More Society joined in representing a Texas man in a suit against his ex-wife's associates. The plaintiff alleges they aided the ex-wife in obtaining the drugs for medical abortion. Asserting that assisting a self-managed abortion is murder, the suit was brought pursuant to wrongful death statutes rather than the Texas Heartbeat Act ("S.B. 8"), the anti-abortion vigilante act. Legal scholar Melissa Murray viewed the suit as an attempt to get the Texas courts to recognize fetal personhood. Lawyers for the plaintiff said the suit would add the manufacturer of the abortion drugs once it is identified.
In 2024, the firm attempted to remove Missouri Amendment 3 (a citizen-initiated ballot proposal to amend the state constitution to recognize a right to abortion) from the November 2024 ballot. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft directed the referendum to be removed from the ballot, but the Missouri Supreme Court reversed this decision, ordering the amendment to remain on the ballot.Anna Spoerre, Missouri Supreme Court rules amendment legalizing abortion will remain on ballot, Missouri Independent (September 10, 2024).
LGBT issues In 2013, the Thomas More Society intervened on behalf of five Illinois county clerks who opposed same-sex marriage and sought to block its legalization in Illinois.Illinois gay marriage foes to maintain legal strategy, Journal Star (June 26, 2013).Juliet Eilperin, State officials balk at defending laws they deem unconstitutional, Washington Post (July 18, 2013).
The group represented a former Missouri State University student who claimed that he was expelled from the university's master's degree in counseling program for refusing to counsel same-sex couples. The university settled in 2017 with the ex-student for $25,000.Joe Harris, Anti-Gay Counselor Gets $25,000 From Missouri State, Courthouse News Service (January 16, 2017).
In May 2022, aided by the Thomas More Society, a former Arconic employee Daniel Snyder filed a federal lawsuit against the company alleging religious discrimination. Snyder lost his job at Arconic's Riverdale plant in June 2021 after publicly posting on the company's intranet his objection to using a rainbow to promote Gay Pride Month. In August 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit dismissed Snyder's appeal.
In Mirabelli v. Bonta, Thomas More Society represented two California teachers and a group of parents challenging school district and state policies that limited disclosure to parents about students' gender identity at school. In December 2025, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez issued a class-wide permanent injunction against the policies. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit stayed the injunction in January 2026. On March 2, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6–3 per curiam ruling on its emergency docket, vacated the Ninth Circuit's stay, holding that the parents were likely to succeed on Free Exercise Clause and Due Process Clause claims.
Divorce In 2020, the society filed an amicus brief in the Nebraska Supreme Court in the case of Dycus v. Dycus, urging the court to strike down Nebraska's no-fault divorce law.Grant Schulte, No-fault divorce law faces legal challenge in Nebraska, Associated Press (September 3, 2020).Dycus v. Dycus, 307 Neb. 426, 949 N.W.2d 357 (2020). The court upheld the law.
Challenges to COVID-19 public health measures During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Thomas More Society filed lawsuits on behalf of various parties to stop or weaken public health measures implemented to stop the spread of the virus. They contended that capacity limits, social distancing rules, face covering requirements, and vaccine mandates violates the religious liberties of churches and individuals.David Crary, More US churches sue to challenge COVID-19 restrictions, Associated Press (August 13, 2020).Marina Villeneuve, Court allows NY virus restrictions ahead of Jewish holidays, Associated Press (October 9, 2020). The group represented Grace Community Church, a Los Angeles County megachurch, in one case.Nathan Solis, Megachurch Sues LA County, California Over Indoor Worship Ban, Courthouse News Service (August 13, 2020). It filed a similar lawsuit on behalf of a Wisconsin anti-abortion group which claimed that the COVID-19 restriction on public gatherings unlawfully blocked the group from gathering.Joe Kelly, Wisconsin Appeals Court Tosses Limit on Public Gatherings, Courthouse News Service (November 6, 2020).
Failed efforts to overturn 2020 presidential election outcome The Thomas More Society has been aligned with the presidential administration of Donald Trump.Short of Money to Run Elections, Local Authorities Turn to Private Funds, New York Times (September 25, 2020). Trump appointed Sarah Pitlyk, a special counsel to the society, to a federal district judgeship.Trump to nominate anti-abortion lawyer to federal judgeship, Associated Press (August 15, 2019). Senate confirms controversial federal judge for Missouri, Associated Press (December 4, 2019).
In 2020, after Trump was defeated by Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, the Thomas More Society established the Amistad Project as part of an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Trump repeatedly and falsely claimed that the election was marred by voter fraud. The project was led by former Kansas Attorney General (and later Liberty University professor) Phillip Kline, although his law license was suspended. The effort was tied to Jenna Ellis, a senior legal adviser to the Trump campaign who was also special counsel to the Thomas More Society. The Amistad Projects filed lawsuits on behalf of supposed "grassroots" groups (with titles such as the "Pennsylvania Voters Alliance" and "Wisconsin Voters Alliance") in the swing states won by Biden (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin). All the suits were rejected or dismissed by the courts. Ellis's tie to the society and the project suggested "a coordinated effort to flood the nation's courts with repetitive litigation" allowing Trump to continue to claim that the election results remain contested.
On December 14, 2020, ahead of the electoral college vote, Amistad Project attorney Ian Northon accompanied a group of self-described "Republican electors" in Lansing who were attempting to cast Michigan electoral votes for Trump, despite Biden winning Michigan and being previously certified as the winner. Northon claimed the "electors" were "fulfilling their constitutional duty." The fake "votes" cast by the pro-Trump "alternate electors" have no legal standing..