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Fifth Circuit: Texas Prison Property Rules Withstand Scrutiny Under Religious Free-Exercise Clause
by David Reutter
On October 4, 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit considered the question: When is cleanliness not next to godliness? In answer, the Court said that the Texas prison system’s rules for storage of a prisoner’s personal property may not be broken, …
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More from this issue:
- With “Fox in Charge of the Henhouse,” Almost All Misconduct Accusations Against BOP Staff Result in No Discipline, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Tenth Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity to Utah Jailers After Detainee’s Withdrawal Death, by David Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Riot and Escape at Nevada Prison Lead to Charges Against Four Guards, Firings or Resignations of Top Officials, by David Reutter
- In an Ominous Pattern, People Are Dying Once Transferred to Louisiana Prison, by Victoria Law
- Alabama County Ends Controversial Policy Using Women’s Pregnancies to Jail Them, by Ashleigh Dye
- Former California Prison Warden and Guard Accused of Sexual Misconduct with Two Dozen Prisoners and Coworkers, by Jo Ellen Nott
- California Governor Vetoes State’s Humane Solitary Confinement Bill, by Kevin Bliss
- Fifth Circuit: Texas Prison Property Rules Withstand Scrutiny Under Religious Free-Exercise Clause, by David Reutter
- Seventh Circuit Revives Indiana Prisoner’s Claim He Was Wrongfully Fired From Prison Commissary for Attending Religious Service, by David Reutter
- Illinois Supreme Court Orders State DOC to Fund Required Treatment and Housing for Sex Offender’s Conditional Release, by David Reutter
- “Acres of Skin” – Redux, by Gregory J. Dober
- SCOTUS Helps Revive Malicious Prosecution Claim Against Chicago Police Officers, by Kevin Bliss, David Reutter
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates North Carolina Prisoner’s Suit Over Flesh-Eating Infection, by David Reutter
- Eighth Circuit Affirms Conviction and Sentencing of Former Arkansas Sheriff for Assaulting Detainees, by Harold Hempstead
- $1.455 Million Settlement for Discrimination Against Black Minnesota Jail Guards Barred from Watching Floyd Killer, by David Reutter
- Pennsylvania Guards and Their Attorneys Spanked for Discovery Abuse in Prisoner’s Excessive-Force Suit, by David Reutter
- Pennsylvania County Commissioner Barred from DA’s Email After Own Prison Record Is Purged and Jail Key Copied, by Kevin Bliss
- Seventh Circuit Says Fourth Amendment Does Not Require Bail Hearing Within 48 Hours of Arrest, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Fifth Circuit Greenlights Suit by Louisiana Prisoners Held in Local Jails Beyond Release Date, by Matthew Clarke
- More Drugs Seized by Florida DOC During COVID-19 Lockdowns Than Before, by David Reutter
- Fifth Circuit: No Liability for Texas County that Improperly Relied on Polygraph to Imprison Released Sex Offender Additional 13 Years, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Federal Court Holds Illinois DOC in Contempt for Failing to Remediate Substandard Healthcare, by Douglas Ankney
- Second Circuit Reinstates N.Y. Prisoner’s Excessive Force Claim, Finding Grievance Procedure ‘Unavailable’ in Mental Health Unit, by David Reutter
- $175,000 Paid by California County to Escaped Prisoner Mauled By K-9 During Recapture, by Keith Sanders
- After 13 Jail Deaths in Eight Months of 2022, California Sheriff Finally Reveals How They Happened, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- $87,000 Paid to Virginia Prisoner Kicked in Testicles by Guard, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Tenth Circuit Revives Kansas Prisoner’s Claim That He Was Denied Access to Court, by Anthony Accurso
- Alabama Supreme Court Says Prisoner Who Didn’t Return From Work Release Punishable Under Felony Escape Statute, by David Reutter
- Third Former Guard at Troubled Federal Prison in Brooklyn Sentenced After Retrial and Conviction for Raping Prisoner, by Chuck Sharman
- Ex-Felon “Dirtbags” Accused of Ordering Hit on Detainee at Florida Jail, But Questions Linger, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Seventh Circuit Sides With Muslim Prisoner, Bars Strip Search by Transgender Wisconsin Guard, by David Reutter
- Hospitalized California IST Defendants Entitled to Jail Conduct Credits, by Mark Wilson
- Judge Dismisses Suit Filed by California Town to Keep State Prison Open, by Keith Sanders
- Florida DA Reopens Cold Murder Case, Exonerates Wrongly Imprisoned Man, Finds Real Killers – and Gets Axed by Governor, by David Reutter
- 18 Stabbings in Less Than Nine Months at Oklahoma CoreCivic Prison, by Keith Sanders
- Hypothermia Kills Prisoner in Cold Pennsylvania Jail Cell, One of 17 Deaths Since 2019, by Jo Ellen Nott
- $14,000 Paid by California to Mentally Ill Prisoner Who Alleged Repeated Maulings by Guards, by Douglas Ankney
- Smuggling Ring Busted in Georgia Jail, 11 Arrested Including Four Guards and Former Nurse, by Jo Ellen Nott
- North Dakota Guard Fired After Suicide of Convicted Quadruple Murderer, by Justin McFatridge
- Massachusetts High Court: Lawmakers Haven’t Stopped Sheriffs From Taking Kickbacks from Jail Phone Calls, and Neither Will We, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- After Botched Lethal Injection, Alabama Will Execute Prisoner by Nitrogen Hypoxia, by David Reutter
- Elderly Prisoners Catch a Break on Medicare Part B, by Eike Blohm, MD
- Second Hunger Strike Met With Pepper Spray at Washington GEO Group Lockup Where ICE Detainees Allege Widespread Sexual Abuse, by Keith Sanders
- Another Prisoner Dies in Another Fire at Indiana Prison, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Alabama Prisoner’s Deliberate Indifference Claim Dies for Lack of Proper Affidavits, by David Reutter
- $350,000 Settlement Reached in Florida Prisoner’s Murder, by David Reutter
- Transgender Idaho Prisoner Who Won Gender Conforming Surgery Awarded Over $2.6 Million in Legal Fees, by Eike Blohm, MD
- Colorado’s Halfway Houses Returning Half of Residents to Prison, by Keith Sanders
- Parents Losing Children Because They Can’t Repay Foster Care Costs Incurred During Incarceration, by Jo Ellen Nott
- Second Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity for Connecticut Cops who Sicced K-9 on Suspect in His Holding Cell, by Casey Bastian
- CoreCivic Still Accruing Fines for Short-Staffing Florida Jail Where Developmentally Disabled Teen Was Raped, by Ashleigh Dye
- Over $298,000 Awarded to Alabama Jail Detainee with Heart Disease After Guards, Nurses Ignored Firing Defibrillator, by David Reutter
- $857,500 Paid by California County for Jail Detainee’s Death, While Cellmate Who Beat Him Is Now in State Prison, by David Reutter
- Nebraska Assistant Warden Avoids Prosecution for Sexually Abusing Prisoner, Pleads Guilty to Lesser Charge and Gets a Year in Jail, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- Former PLN Editor Settles Suit Over Detention in Tennessee ‘Iron Man’ Cell, Gets 40-Year Prison Term for Vandalizing Nashville Jail, by Benjamin Tschirhart
- After Eleventh Circuit Says ICE Detainee Is Not “Prisoner” Subject to PLRA, He Goes Missing from Georgia, by David Reutter
- News in Brief
- GTL Ordered to Pay $18.675 Million in Attorney Fees and Costs in Prison Phone Class Action, by Anthony Accurso
More from David Reutter:
- Eight Circuit Reverses Denial of Partial Qualified Immunity in Detainee’s Pepper Ball Claim, Remands Excessive Force Claims, Sept. 1, 2026
- Nevada Prisoners, Families Call Out Predatory Tablet Program, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit: Error in Granting Judgment Prior to Adjudging Spoliation Motion, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Strip Searches Resulting from Anonymous Tips, Sept. 1, 2026
- Tenth Circuit: Colorado Governor Unentitled to Eleventh Amendment Immunity on Claim Related to DOC Religious Policies, Aug. 1, 2026
- Michigan Appeals Court: Witnesses Cannot be Forced to Wear Jail Clothes at Trial, Aug. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Affirms Denial of State-Law Qualified Immunity in Scabies Case, Aug. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Revives Disabled Prisoner’s Claim for Denial of Out-of-Cell Exercise Time, Aug. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026
- Florida Supreme Court Announces Rule 3.170(f)’s Good-Cause Plea-Withdrawal Standard Does Not Apply at Post-Appeal Resentencing, April 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Tenth Circuit: Colorado Governor Unentitled to Eleventh Amendment Immunity on Claim Related to DOC Religious Policies, Aug. 1, 2026. Sovereign Immunity, Religious Practices, Religious Property, First Amendment, rights, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
- ICE Jails Denied Muslim Detainees’ Right to Celebrate Ramadan, April 1, 2026. Religious Diet, Religious Practices, Religious Property, Immigration Detention, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
- $100,000 Settlement Reached For Tennessee Detainee Baptized to Get Out of Traffic Ticket, June 1, 2025. Arrestee Searches, Religious Freedom, Automobile Searches/Seizures.
- Muslim Prisoners Face Price-Gouging, April 1, 2025. Religious Discrimination, Seizure of Prisoner Funds, Religious Practices, Religious Property.
- Muslim New York Prisoner’s Free Exercise of Religion Claim Reinstated, Jan. 15, 2025. State Law Claims, Religious Freedom, Denial of Religious Services, Religious Freedom/Worship.
- Fifth Circuit Revives Suit by Nation of Gods and Earth Prisoner Demanding Religious Recognition by Texas Prison Officials, May 1, 2023. Religious Freedom, Denial of Religious Services.
- Second Circuit: No Qualified Immunity for Wardens Accused of Violating Religious Freedom of Muslim Prisoners in Connecticut, Jan. 1, 2023. Religious Discrimination, Religious Freedom, Immunity - Absolute and Qualified, Religious Freedom/Worship, Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).
- “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.
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Lower Court’s Dismissal of California Prisoner’s Religious Freedom Lawsuit, Feb. 1, 2021. Religious Freedom, Tolling of Statutes of Limitations and Laches, Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA).
- Prisoner Wins Preliminary Injunction Against PADOC Policy Banning Islamic Fezzes, Feb. 4, 2020. Religious Discrimination, Religious Freedom, Religious Property.

