United States Eighth Circuit

In a suit under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act challenging a policy requiring prison inmates to check out tarot cards from a chaplain and prohibiting them from keeping cards in their cells, judgment for defendants is affirmed where: 1) the district court did not err in by relying on an expert witness's testimony or by finding that the tarot card policy furthers prison security while protecting plaintiff's rights; 2) the district court made the necessary findings of fact and conclusions of law; and 3) the parties did not present alternative solutions, thus the district court did not fail to analyze less restrictive alternatives.

Appellate Information

• Decided 01/27/2009
• Published 01/27/2009

Judges

• BENTON, Circuit Judge., Before MELLOY and BENTON, Circuit Judges, and DOTY, District Judge.

Court

• United States Eighth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Timothy James Cullen, argued, Little Rock, AR, for appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Carmine Joseph Cordi, Jr., AAG, argued, Collin Jorgensen, on the brief, Little Rock, AR, for appellee.