Howard Friedman, Religion Clause

In Ollie v. Illinois Department of Corrections, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6684 (SD IL, Jan. 16, 2018), an Illinois federal district court dismissed a Christian inmate’s complaint that he was not allowed to attend congregate religious services while in the Staff Assaulter Program.

In Jackson v. Climmer, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6656 (D OR, Jan. 16, 2018), an Oregon federal district court adopted a magistrate’s recommendations (2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 215490, Nov. 22, 2017) and dismissed an inmate’s allegations that pork was included in his diet.

In Thompson v. Premo, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7907 (D OR, Jan. 16, 2018), an Oregon federal district court, in an inmate’s challenge to his sentence, rejected his argument that jurors’ free exercise rights were infringed when jurors were death-qualified for the guilt phase of his trial.

In Braziel v. Roy, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7106 (D MN, Jan. 17, 2018), a Minnesota federal district court adopted a magistrate’s recommendation (2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 215627, Dec. 21, 2017) and dismissed a Muslim inmate’s complaint regarding his suspension from the religious diet program and the policy underlying his suspension.

In Ramsey v. Fischer, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9114 (WD NY, Jan. 18, 2018), a New York federal magistrate judge recommended dismissing an inmate’s complaint that upon transfer it took a week for him to be placed on the kosher meal plan and another month to receive matzah and grape juice for Friday evening Sabbath services.