In Shaheed Allah v. Jordan-Luster, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56631 (CD IL, Aug. 3, 2007), an Illinois federal district court rejected an inmate's claim that his free exercise rights under RLUIPA were violated when authorities refused to supply him with a Halal diet. The court relied both on the difficulty of accommodating the request and the plaintiff's failure to present verification from a spiritual leader of his need for the accommodation.
In Berryman v. Granholm, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 56581 (ED MI, Aug. 3, 2007), a Michigan federal district court rejected claims by two inmates claim that their rights under RLUIPA were violated when he was temporarily removed from the kosher meal program because they had ordered non-kosher food items from the prison store.
In Al Ghashiyah v. Frank, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 57060 (WD WI, Aug. 1, 2007), a Wisconsin federal court permitted an inmate to proceed with claims that by prohibiting him from using his religious name on his grievances, authorities violated his rights under the 1st and 14th Amendments and RLUIPA.
Tremayne v. Crow, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 57121 (ED WA, Aug. 6, 2007), a Washington federal district court rejected a religious freedom challenge to an order confining an inmate to his cell for ten days. Prison authorities claimed the inmate was teaching others martial arts; the inmate claimed he was sharing his religious beliefs.
In Byrd v. L.C.S. Corrections Services, Inc., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 57286 (WD LA, April 27, 2007), a Louisiana federal Magistrate Judge recommended rejection of an inmate's claim that a prison's failure to provide a "faith-based honor dorm" violated the inmate's free exercise rights and denied him equal protection of the laws. In a July 23, 2007 opinion, the court accepted the magistrate's recommendations, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 53530.
In Dean v. Blum, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 57419 (D NE, Aug. 6, 2007), a Nebraska federal district court rejected free exercise of religion claims by a prisoner who practices and worships in the Ma'at faith. He was fired from his position at the prison's law library for refusing to work on a Monday night in conflict with a Ma'at religious service. UPDATE: The remaining claims were dismissed at 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 80057 (D NE, Oct. 29, 2007).
