Holt v. Hobbs
United States Supreme Court
135 S. Ct. 853 (2015)
Relevant factsFree
Arkansas prisoner Gregory Holt (plaintiff), a Muslim, sought a religious exemption to grow a half-inch beard from the prison's no-beard policy, which already permitted quarter-inch beards for prisoners with dermatological conditions and unrestricted head-hair length; the Department (defendant) denied his request, citing security concerns about hiding contraband and disguising identity. The lower courts ruled for the Department.
IssueFree
Whether, once a government policy substantially burdens a person's free exercise of religion, the government must show that denying a religious exemption is the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling governmental interest.