Bloomberg Law SCOTUS Skeptical of Rastafarian Religious Damages Suit
Nov 12, 2025
John Meiser, a professor at Notre Dame Law School and director of the Religious Liberty Clinic, delves into a Supreme Court case surrounding a Rastafarian inmate's claim of religious rights violations by prison guards. He unpacks the complexities of RELUPA and discusses the implications for monetary damages. Meanwhile, Harold Krent, a constitutional law expert, examines the government's attempt to deploy National Guard forces in Chicago, highlighting the legal challenges and limits of executive authority in domestic troop movements.
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Facts Are Egregious But Remedy Is Key
- Damon Landor's dreadlocks were forcibly cut despite showing guards a controlling court decision protecting his religious practice.
- The case turns not on whether rights were violated but on whether RELUPA allows money damages against individual officers.
“Appropriate Relief” Is The Central Question
- RELUPA and RFRA use similar language allowing plaintiffs to obtain “appropriate relief.”
- The dispute is whether that phrase includes monetary damages when Congress acts via the spending power.
Notice And The Spending Power
- Conservative justices focused on notice and whether prison guards understood they could face individual liability.
- The Court is weighing clarity required when Congress imposes conditions through federal spending.