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Fourth Circuit: Religious Headwear Policy Violated Virginia Prisoner’s Rights
by David M. Reutter
On November 7, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit held that a Virginia prisoner successfully pleaded that a policy of the state Department of Corrections (DOC) substantially burdened his religious beliefs. That sent the case back to the district court to determine …
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More from this issue:
- “I Was Scheduled to Die in Solitary Confinement” – and May Soon Be Again, by Mark Wilson
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Detainees Awaiting Psychiatric Beds Suffer Permanent Harm in Jails, by Eike Blohm, MD
- Monterey County Sheriff’s Office Poised for Much-Needed Cleanup, by Kevin Bliss
- Federal Judge Tells BOP Officials They “Are Not Above the Law”, by Casey Bastian
- U.S. Response to Haitian Crisis: Fund More Prisons, by Jayson Hawkins
- California Halted from Re-Integrating “Sensitive Needs” Prisoners Into General Population, by David Reutter
- Circuit Court Orders Hawaii to Release Names of Prisoners Who Die in State’s Jails and Prisons, by Keith Sanders
- Former CoreCivic Guard Pleads Guilty to Deprivation of Tennessee Prisoner’s Rights, by Harold Hempstead
- $1.9 Million Paid by L.A. County for Detainee’s Suicide, by Chuck Sharman
- Sixth Circuit Revives Claim Over Michigan Prisoner’s Fatal Overdose on Allegedly Smuggled Fentanyl, by David Reutter
- Santa Clara County Sheriff Accused of Coverup After $10 Million Payout to Mentally Ill Detainee Who Severely Injured Himself During Jail Transport, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Polling Stations Inside Jails Combat Voter Disenfranchisement, by Keith Sanders
- New Mexico Supreme Court Rules Both Prisoners and Nonprofit Plaintiffs Subject to Requirement to Exhaust Administrative Remedies, by Jacob Barrett
- Nevada DOC Director Sacked After Prisoner Escape Goes Unnoticed Four Days, by Ashleigh Dye
- Almost $650,000 Paid by Illinois to Prisoner Who Lost Leg to Untreated Diabetes, by Keith Sanders
- $11.75 Million Settlement for Prisoner Beating in Pheonix Jail, by Casey Bastian
- SCOTUS Ruling Forces Ninth Circuit U-Turn on Damages Suit by Federal Prisoner in California “Snitch Jacketed” by Guard, by Kevin Bliss
- BOP Revives Plans for Controversial Prison in Kentucky, by Kevin Bliss
- Second Circuit Takes Back $20,000 Emotional Damage Award from Former Federal Prisoner in New York, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- California Extends Medi-Cal Health Benefits to Prisoners Nearing Release, by Eike Blohm, MD
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Jail Detainee’s Urine Not a ‘Noxious or Filthy Substance’, by David Reutter
- Iowa Ombudsman Calls Out DOC For Unfair Prisoner Discipline, by Kevin Bliss
- Virginia DOC Resists Prisoner Fee Cuts, by Ashleigh Dye
- Washington Racks Up More Than $98 Million in Fines for Failure to Timely Hold Competency Hearings, by Jacob Barrett
- Third Circuit Unbothered by Pennsylvania’s Discrimination Against Sex Offenders in Denying Parole to Halfway Houses, by David Reutter
- Indiana Will Now Send Low-Level Felons to Prison Instead of Jail, by Casey Bastian
- Fourth Circuit: Religious Headwear Policy Violated Virginia Prisoner’s Rights, by David Reutter
- A Lesson in Pleading: Utah Jail Suicide Complaint Fails for Alleging Failure to Train Rather than Failure to Provide Care, by David Reutter
- Sixth Circuit Says Ohio Prisoner’s Lack of Tablet Access May Have Prevented Grievance Exhaustion, by David Reutter
- Texas Prison Warden and Brother Charged with Shooting Two Migrants, Killing One, by Ashleigh Dye
- California Makes Calls Free for State Prisoners and Juvenile Detainees, Prohibits Telecom Kickbacks to Prisons and Jails, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- $35,000 Awarded to Federal Prisoner in Kentucky Who Accused Guards of Using Excessive Force, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Educating Prisoners: New Meta-Analysis Reinforces That It Reduces Recidivism, by Keith Sanders
- $2.375 Million Settlement in Over-Detention Suit at Santa Clara California Jail, by David Reutter
- Montana Supreme Court Grants State Prisoner 604 Days in Sentence Credit, by David Reutter
- En Banc Ninth Circuit Voids Portion of California Law Banning Private Federal Prisons in the State, by Jacob Barrett
- Report Shows How Perverse Financial Incentives Drive Mass Incarceration and Inequity in Criminal Justice System, by Matthew Clarke
- Arizona Prisoner Waits in Excruciating Pain While Incompetent Executioners Fumble, by Eike Blohm, MD
- How the Newest Federal Prison Became One of the Deadliest, by Christie Thompson and Joseph Shapiro
- No More Second Chances for New York Jail Guard Convicted of Smuggling, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- “Ban the Box” Hiring Law Sets National Standard for Federal Contracts, by Keith Sanders
- No Pay for Iowa Prisoners Overdosed With COVID-19 Vaccine, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Former State Prison Guards in Georgia Sentenced for Prisoner Assaults and Cover-Up, by Jayson Hawkins
- Suspended Colorado Work Release Program Exposes Companies’ Reliance on Low-Wage Labor, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Seventh Circuit Revives Claim of Wheelchair-Bound Wisconsin Prisoner Denied Access to Handicapped Toilet, by David Reutter
- Seventh Circuit Overturns Class Decertification in Cook County Jail Disability Lawsuit, by David Reutter
- Despite Official Claims, Stopping Mail to Missouri Prisoners Has No Effect on Drug Overdoses, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Former Georgia Sheriff Gets 18 Months for Punishing Detainees in Restraint Chair, by David Reutter
- $1.2 Million Paid by St. Louis County for Jail Detainee’s Death from Untreated Ulcer, by David Reutter
- Gun Safety Group Defeats Re-Election of “Constitutional Sheriff” in Massachusetts, by Keith Sanders
- Voters in Four States Change Constitution to Ban Prison Slavery, by Keith Sanders
- News in Brief
More from David Reutter:
- The Malleable Mind in the Courtroom: Why Confident Eyewitnesses Often Provide the Least Reliable Evidence, Oct. 15, 2025
- Help Wanted: 31,000 Prison Guard Jobs Open Nationwide, Sept. 1, 2025
- Fifth Circuit Greenlights Federal Takeover of Mississippi Jail, Aug. 1, 2025
- Ninth Circuit Revives Prisoner’s Claim Based on Guard’s Thwarting of Administrative Remedies, Aug. 1, 2025
- Tenth Circuit Ruling Paves Way for $2.7 Million Settlement for Intellectually Disabled Jail Detainee Raped by Sheriff, Aug. 1, 2025
- Ninth Circuit Agrees That Former Guantanamo Detainee Lacks Grounds to Sue for Waterboarding, Aug. 1, 2025
- Qualified Immunity Denied for Iowa Prison Doctor’s MRI Delay for Non-Medical Reasons, Aug. 1, 2025
- Ninth Circuit: Continuing-Violations Doctrine Applies for PLRA Administrative Exhaustion Purposes, Aug. 1, 2025
- First Circuit: Prosecutor’s Breach of Plea Agreement Requires Government’s Specific Performance of Agreement, Not Specific Performance by District Court, Aug. 1, 2025
- Oregon Prisoners Can Now Seek Economic Damages for Future Lost Income More Easily, July 15, 2025
More from these topics:
- Muslim Prisoners Face Price-Gouging, April 1, 2025. Religious Discrimination, Seizure of Prisoner Funds, Religious Practices, Religious Property.
- Lawsuits by Michigan Prisoner Yield $57,750 in Settlements, Plus Policy Changes, Jan. 15, 2025. Settlements, Denial of Religious Services, Religious Practices.
- Fourth Circuit Revives Virginia Prisoner’s Challenge to DOC Policy Restricting His Religious Headwear, Aug. 15, 2023. Religious Grooming, Religious Practices.
- Third Circuit Reinstates Claim by Federal Prisoner in Pennsylvania that Guards Prevented Daily Muslim Prayers, Aug. 15, 2023. State Law Claims, Religious Practices.
- Seventh Circuit Revives Indiana Prisoner’s Claim He Was Wrongfully Fired From Prison Commissary for Attending Religious Service, March 1, 2023. Religious Discrimination, Commissary, Religious Practices.
- Seventh Circuit Sides With Muslim Prisoner, Bars Strip Search by Transgender Wisconsin Guard, March 1, 2023. Strip Searches, Religious Practices, Discrimination (Transgender).
- Fourth Circuit Says Virginia May Require Muslim Prisoner to Purchase Prayer Oil From Vendor Also Selling Pork and “Idols”, Sept. 1, 2022. Food/Commissary (Private Prisons), Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Religious Practices.
- U.S. Supreme Court Grants Texas Prisoner Religious Touch and Audible Prayer During Execution, Sept. 1, 2022. Death Penalty/Death Row, Religious Practices.
- Tenth Circuit Reinstates Federal Prisoner’s Claim Against BOP Over Denial of Muslim Group Prayer Five Times a Day, Aug. 1, 2022. Denial of Religious Services, Religious Practices.
- “One of the Most Egregious Violations of Church-State Separation” Prisons Welcome Fundamentalist Christian Education Programs Despite Conflicts with the Constitution, July 15, 2022. Religious Freedom, Religious Practices.