A recent 6th Circuit opinion found that a Wiccan inmate’s religious exercise was in fact substantially burdened, regardless of how many other Wiccans might agree, and sent the case back to the District Court for further analysis.
Written opinions in two recent and seemingly conflicting U.S. Supreme Court rulings in execution chamber cases may signal more to come in that area, according to the BJC’s Amanda Tyler.
Written by Don ByrdInmates in an Alabama prison have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a policy that requires them to wear their hair short in violation of their Native American religious beliefs. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected their argument that the Department of Corrections policy runs afoul of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) by failing to consider alternate means of achieving their security goals.
Written by Don ByrdVia Religion Clause, a federal judge in Florida granted a preliminary injunction yesterday ordering the State Department of Corrections to provide kosher meals to all inmates who request one according to sincerely held religious beliefs. In 2007, the state abandoned its kosher meals program and defends its right not to provide such meals. Following a lawsuit filed last year by the United States, however, the state initiated a pilot program to provide kosher meals, but only within strict guidelines designed to certify religious sincerity.
In issuing the injunction, the judge found the lack of a kosher offering likely violates the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), as do the many hurdles to a kosher diet in the state’s current pilot program, including the religious sincerity test that required applying inmates to demonstrate knowledge about their claimed faith.
Written by Don ByrdOn Friday, the 7th Circuit ruled that prison officials must treat fairly atheist prisoner requests for religious study groups dedicated to atheism. Overturning the trial court’s dismissal of the inmate James Kaufmann’s case, the appeals court said atheists must be given a chance to demonstrate there are enough of them to warrant creation of a group.