Howard Friedman, Religion Clause

In Carr v. Zwally, (10th Cir., Jan. 8, 2019), the 10th Circuit affirmed the dismissal of an inmate’s complaint that a sheriff’s deputy removed religious material, including two Bibles, from his cell.

In Anderson v. Dzurenda, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 784 (D NV, Jan. 3, 2019), a Nevada federal district court allowed a Wiccan inmate to move ahead with his complaint that he was denied religious items, religious oils and religious teas.

In Williams v. Kobayashi, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1015 (D HI, Jan. 3, 2019), an Hawaii federal district court dismissed with leave to amend an inmate’s complaint that his personal minister’s application for special visitor status was denied.

In Lopez v. Semple, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1361 (D CT, Jan. 4, 2019), a Connecticut federal district court dismissed an inmate’s claim that he was deprived of religious services while in segregation.

In Wilson v. Arizona, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1744 (D AZ, Jan. 3, 2019), an Arizona federal district court dismissed an inmate’s complaint that he was denied religious meals and that his food was tampered with because of his religion.

In Canada v. Stirling, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3004 (D SC, Jan. 8, 2019), a South Carolina federal district court adopted a magistrate’s recommendation (2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 218699, Dec. 17, 2018) and dismissed an inmate’s claim that playing the Pledge of Allegiance over the prison loudspeaker two to three times per day violated the Establishment Clause.

In Wilcox v. Brown, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3684 (WD NC, Jan. 9, 2019),a North Carolina federal district court allowed an inmate to move ahead with his damage claim for the temporary cancellation of Rastafarian religious services.