Note to readers: Today my weekly compilation of prisoner free exercise cases appears in an abbreviated format which I plan to use in the future. The prior format which included summaries had begun to consume far too much of my time for what I perceive the value of the summaries to be. If readers disagree with this assessment of the value of the prior format, please let me know by e-mail.
Here are recent decisions in which federal or state prisoners seek relief-- usually asserting free exercise and/or RLUIPA claims-- regarding conditions of confinement or other issues they perceive to infringe their religious exercise. These cases often involve access to religious diets, materials or services while incarcerated:
Williams v. Sibbett, 2011 U.S. App. LEXIS 21103 (10th Cir., Oct. 18, 2011)
Jackson v. Goord, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 117539 (WD NY, Oct. 11, 2011)
McKissick v. Owens, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118237 (MD GA, Oct. 13, 2011)
Somie v. GEO Group, Inc., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118546 (ED NC, Oct. 12, 2011)
Rupe v. Cate, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118414 (ED CA, Oct. 11, 2011)
Fitch v. City of Leitchfield, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118696 (WD KY, Oct. 11, 2011)
Cooper v. Evans, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 117991 (SD IL, Aug. 3, 2011), adopted by 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 114891 (Oct. 5, 2011)
McKenzie v. Ellis, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118373 (S.D. Cal. July 18, 2011), adopted by 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 112222, (Sept. 29, 2011)
Turner-Bey v. Maynard, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 118883 (D MD, Oct. 13, 2011).
Walton v. Sing, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 119798 (ED CA, Oct. 17, 2011).
McChesney v. Hogan, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 119690 (ND NY, Aug. 2, 2011), accepted in part and rejected in part by 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 112525 (Sept. 30, 2011).
