Here are some important law-and-religion news stories from around the web:
- The U.S. Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an Oklahoma federal district court’s dismissal of a Muslim inmate’s claim that his equal protection rights were violated when he was not allowed to pray in the prison rest room.
- The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals declined to extend the constitutional ministerial exemption to categorically bar all hostile environment discrimination claims by ministerial employees where there is no challenge to tangible employment actions like hiring and firing.
- The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals refused to stay a district court decision striking down a Texas abortion law banning a standard procedure.
- The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an inmate’s claim that his rights under the Free Exercise clause and RLUIPA were violated when his request for a pork-free diet was denied.
- An Ohio federal district court held that the ministerial exception doctrine does not preclude a minister bringing a hostile work environment claim where the claim does not involve the court in excessive entanglement with religious matters.
- A plaintiff filed suit in Florida federal district court claiming that his free speech and free exercise rights were infringed when he was removed as president of Florida State University’s Student Senate because of comments he made about Catholic teachings.
- A Michigan federal district court held that members of a city’s zoning board who voted to deny a zoning variance sought by a mosque are entitled to qualified immunity in a suit against them personally for damages.
- A Washington federal district court granted a preliminary injunction barring enforcement of a rule under the CARES Act by the Department of Education, which encourages use of a formula that increases the proportion of CARES Act funding going to private schools (including religious schools) at the expense of public schools.
- An Oregon federal district court denied a request for a temporary restraining order to allow three Christian schools to reopen in violation of Governor Kate Brown’s COVID-19 executive order.
- Kentucky’s Attorney General issued an opinion asserting that state officials may not order the closure of religiously affiliated schools that comply with reasonable social distancing and hygiene guidelines during the COVID pandemic.