Dickinson v. United States, 346 U.S. 389 (1953), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held there was no basis for denying a petitioner's (a Jehovah's Witness) claim to ministerial exemption from military service, and his conviction for refusing to submit to his local board's induction order was reversed.
Decision of the Court
Justice Clark delivered the opinion of the Court.
The Court ruled that classification as minister is not available to all members of a sect notwithstanding doctrine that all are ministers; but part-time secular work does not, without more, disqualify member from satisfying the ministerial exemption.