Supreme Court Bars RLUIPA Damages in 6-3 Ruling on Shaved Dreadlocks Case
Updated
Updated · Newsweek · Jun 23
Supreme Court Bars RLUIPA Damages in 6-3 Ruling on Shaved Dreadlocks Case
3 articles · Updated · Newsweek · Jun 23
Summary
A 6-3 Supreme Court ruling said Damon Landor cannot recover money damages from individual Louisiana prison officials after they allegedly shaved his dreadlocks despite his Rastafarian faith.
Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote that RLUIPA, enacted under Congress's Spending Clause power, binds funding recipients like the state prison system but not individual officers who never accepted those terms.
Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by the other two liberals, dissented, warning the decision leaves victims of acknowledged religious-liberty violations without a meaningful federal remedy.
The ruling stands out from the Roberts Court's broader religion-friendly record, including decisions favoring churches, religious schools and workers seeking accommodations.
It also contrasts with the court's 2020 Tanzin v. Tanvir decision, which allowed damages against federal officials under RFRA rather than the prison-rights statute at issue here.