Howard Friedman, Religion Clause

In Powers v. Jones, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 50418 (MD FL, March 27, 2018),  Florida federal district court allowed a Messianic Jewish inmate to move ahead against a Department of Corrections official with his complaint that authorities refused to provide him his Sabbath meal a day in advance so it would not be cooked on the Sabbath.

In March v. Aramark Corp., 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51258 (ED TN, March 28, 2018), a Tennessee federal district court allowed a Jewish inmate to move ahead with free exercise challenges regarding compliance of his meals with kosher standards and actions of correctional officials in serving him these meals.  However the court rejected plaintiff’s attempts to challenge more broadly the food contract and conduct of the food service provider in obtaining and fulfilling the contract.

In James v. Virginia Department of Corrections, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51284 (WD VA, March 28, 2018), a Virginia federal district court dismissed a Jewish inmate’s complaint that he was not allowed to have matzah and grape juice for Sabbath ceremonies in his cell and his complaint that a cardiac version of the Common Fare diet was not available.

In Burke v. Clarke, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 51403 (WD VA, March 27, 2018) a Virginia federal district court allowed a Rastafarian inmate to move ahead on claims that he was not allowed congregate meetings with other Rastafarians and was not allowed Rastafarian holiday meals or religious items.

In Johnson v. Secretary of Corrections, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 52357 (D MN, March 27, 2018), a New Mexico federal district court dismissed, with leave to amend, a Muslim inmate’s complaint charging religious and racial discrimination when he was fired from his prison job and reassigned to a less desirable one after he left early to attend a religious service.

In Bey v. Tennessee Department of Corrections, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 52572 (ED TN, March 29, 2018), a Tennessee federal district court dismissed a Muslim inmate’s complaint that he could not buy certified Halal prayer oil, and his complaint regarding the Halal food menu and timing of Ramadan trays in 2014.

In Mack v. Walker, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 53316 (SD IL, March 29, 2018), an Illinois federal district court permitted an inmate to move ahead with his complaint that he was denied access to Hebrew Israelite religious services.