Plaintiff Can Move Ahead On Some Claims Growing Out of Dispute Over Driver's License Photo

Islam v. City of Bridgeton, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 32411 (D NJ, March 28, 2011), is a lawsuit growing out of a heated exchange between a Muslim woman (named Pamela Winrow Islam) and the manager of a branch office of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission over the conditions under which Islam could have her drivers' license photo taken wearing a religious headscarf. The argument ended in a local police officer escorting Muslim out. The parties disagree over whether force was used to do so. Islam sued alleging violation of various of her constitutional rights, violation of New Jersey's Law Against Discrimination, as well as false arrest and malicious prosecution. The court allowed plaintiff to move ahead with various of her claims as to some of the defendants, but not as to  others.