Sunday, September 28, 2014

Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases

In Ureña v. Strafford County House of Corrections, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 132513 (D NH, Sept. 22, 2014), a New Hampshire federal magistrate judge recommended allowing a Muslim inmate to proceed with a number of his claims regarding access to a halal diet and to Jumu'ah, a Qur'an, a kufi and an Imam.

In Sublett v. Green, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 135527 (ED KY, Sept. 24, 2014), a Kentucky federal district court dismissed an inmate's complaint that he was denied kosher meals while in segregation. The court found plaintiff had not exhausted administrative remedies.

In Bartlett v. Wengler, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 135516 (D ID, Sept. 24, 2014), an Idaho federal district court indicated that it intended to dismiss an inmate's complaint about failure to provide kosher meals.

In Shepherd v. Powers, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 136467 (SD NY, Sept. 26, 20140, a New York federal district court allowed an inmate to proceed with a complaint that in punitive segregation he was unable to attend church or Bible study classes, and he only a received a Bible three days after he requested one.