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Rluipa

All articles tagged with #rluipa

politics2 months ago•12 min saved

SCOTUS RLUIPA Ruling Seen as Favoring Conservative Christians

In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that Damon Landor, a Rastafarian, could not sue Louisiana prison guards for forcibly shaving his dreadlocks under RLUIPA, limiting damages against individual officials and prompting Justice Jackson’s dissent that the ruling twists the statute and erodes rights for non-Christians; TPM frames the decision as part of a broader pattern of religious exemptions that have increasingly favored conservative Christian interests, dating back to Hobby Lobby and continuing alongside other political developments.

via Talking Points Memo|

#civil-rights #law #politics

law2 months ago•10 min saved

Gorsuch narrows religious-liberty relief by redefining consent under RLUIPA

The Supreme Court, in a 6–3 decision, held that Rastafari inmate Landor cannot sue guards for damages under RLUIPA because the officials did not give 'consent' to be sued; the ruling treats Congress's spending power as a 'contract' requiring explicit consent, narrowing remedies and potentially weakening federal protections across civil rights, healthcare, and environmental laws. Dissent warns of far-reaching consequences.

via Slate Magazine|

#law #neil-gorsuch #religious-liberty

courts2 months ago•2 min saved

SCOTUS blocks Rastafarian inmate's bid to sue over shaved dreadlocks

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a Rastafarian inmate cannot sue prison staff for religious-liberty violations under RLUIPA, holding that individual employees aren’t liable under the statute because they did not consent to be subject to it; the decision upholds a lower-court ruling that prisoners cannot seek monetary damages from staff even when rights are violated, with dissents arguing RLUIPA should protect prisoners’ rights against officials.

via Al Jazeera|

#courts #inmaterights #prisonlaw

law2 months ago•2 min saved

SCOTUS narrows damages route in Rastafari dreadlocks case

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that Damon Landor cannot pursue damages under RLUIPA against individual Louisiana prison officials who shaved his dreadlocks, limiting the law’s reach to cases involving state or local actions and not claims against individual officials. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the majority that RLUIPA does not permit suits against non-consenting officials, while Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, arguing the decision undermines prisoners’ religious rights. The 2020 incident at Raymond Laborde Correctional Center involved officials handcuffing Landor and shaving his head despite his Nazirite vow and religious objections, with the state noting policy changes to prevent similar issues for Rastafari prisoners.

via NBC News|

#law #prison-policy #rastafarian