Supreme Court Weighs Chutzpah in Rabbinical Dispute
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The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Tuesday, Dec. two, in a case brought by First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, a faith‑based group seeking to compel a rabbinical court to withdraw accusations of chutzpah. The case marks the first time the Court has addressed the intersection of civil and rabbinical law.
Earlier this year, the Court noted the plaintiff’s chutzpah in a decision that clarified the term’s legal meaning. The dispute follows a 1929 New York surrogate court ruling that first used the Yiddish word in a legal context. In 1972, a Georgia Court of Appeals opinion introduced chutzpah to the broader judiciary.
The Supreme Court’s 1973 decision further cemented the term’s place in federal jurisprudence. The current case could set precedent for how U.S. courts interact with religious tribunals.
Timeline
- 1929 — New York surrogate court first uses chutzpah in decision
- 1972 — Georgia Court of Appeals introduces chutzpah to judiciary




