In Rogers v. Jackson, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 155893 (ED NC, Sept. 25, 2017), a North Carolina federal district court upheld a prison's designation of Five Percenters as a security threat group, as well as upholding restrictions on Nation of Islam. The court also sealed exhibits in the case because they would create a security risk if exposed to inmates.
In Gordon v. Combs, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 156357 (WD VA, Sept. 25. 2017), a Virginia federal district court allowed a Nation of Islam inmate to move ahead with his complaint that he was not allowed to participate in the fast of Ramadan in 2014.
In Bayadi v. Clarke, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 156356 (WD VA, Sept. 25, 2017), a Virginia federal district court allowed an inmate to move ahead with his claim under RLUIPA challenging a grooming policy that barred him from growing a beard.
In Rushdan v. Gear, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 156675 (ED CA, Sept. 25, 2017), a California federal magistrate judge held that an inmate's free exercise rights were not violated when authorities, while allowing him to use both his committed name and his religious name on prison forms, required his list his committed name first.
In Lightner v. Wenderlich, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157831 (WD NY, Sept. 25, 2017), a New York federal district court allowed a Muslim inmate to move ahead with his claim that he could not receive a Halal diet containing meat, but dismissed without prejudice his claim regarding access to an Islamic study correspondence course.
In Olds v. Clarke, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 158328 (WD VA, Sept. 27, 2017), a Virginia federal district court dismissed a Rastafarian inmate's complaint about Common Fare religious diet and transfer of inmates who violate grooming standards.
In Kasel v. Sedgwick County Detention Facility, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 158598 (D KA, Sept. 27, 2017), a Kansas federal district court gave a Wiccan inmate one month to show cause why his complaint regarding denial of religious services and materials should not be dismissed.
In Chichakli v. Samuels, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 158703 (WD OK, Sept. 27, 2017), an Oklahoma federal district court adopted a magistrate's recommendations (2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 159964, Aug. 15, 2017) and allowed an inmate to move ahead with his complaint that the diet served him did not comply with kosher standards, but dismissed his complaint regarding access to religious materials and ability to engage in prayer.
In Peyton v. Walrath, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 158820 (WD VA, Sept. 27, 2017), a Virginia federal district court dismissed a Nation of Islam inmate's complaint regarding unlawful confiscation of religious materials and suspension of NOI group services. Other complaints were dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies.
In Lawson v. Carney, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160030 (ED WA, Sept. 28, 2017), a Washington federal district court dismissed a Jewish inmate's complaint that his kosher diet was suspended for 77 days. UPDATE: The magistrate's recommendation in the case is at 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160272, Aug. 4, 2017.
