United States Fourth Circuit

In an action against prison administrators under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) for forcibly shaving plaintiff's head in violation of his religious beliefs, summary judgment for defendants is reversed in part where they failed to meet their burden to show that their policy of forcible grooming was the least restrictive means to further a compelling governmental interest.

Appellate Information

• Decided 07/31/2009
• Published 07/31/2009

Judges

• Before MICHAEL, KING, and GREGORY, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fourth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• ARGUED:  Cecily Elizabeth Baskir, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, D.C., for Appellant.  Andrew Lindemann, Davidson & Lindemann, PA, Columbia, South Carolina, for Appellees.   ON BRIEF:  Steven H. Goldblatt, Director, Kelly A. Anderson, Student Counsel, Zheyao Li, Student Counsel, Daniel E. Shuey, Student Counsel, Kimberly Witherspoon, Student Counsel, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC, for Appellant.  Akeem Muhammad, Raiford, Florida, Amicus Supporting Appellant.