Holt v. Hobbs
United States Supreme Court
2015 WL 232143 (2015)
- Written by Alex Ruskell, JD
Facts
Holt (plaintiff) was incarcerated by the Arkansas Department of Corrections (defendant). Holt was Muslim and wanted to grow a beard in accordance with his religious beliefs. The Department did not allow beards on inmates because of identification and smuggling concerns. However, it did allow half-inch beards on inmates with dermatological issues. Although Holt did not want to trim his beard, he asked the Department whether he could grow a half-inch beard as a compromise. The Department said no. Holt sued under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. The court ruled in the Department’s favor, and the appeals court affirmed. The United States Supreme Court granted cert.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Alito, J.)
Concurrence (Sotomayor, J.)
Concurrence (Ginsburg, J.)
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