Louisiana Department of Corrections

The Supreme Court ruled in Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections that federal spending programs should be treated as contracts, limiting the ability to sue individual government officials under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLIUPA). The decision, 6-3 along ideological lines, held that officials cannot be sued unless they explicitly consent, effectively weakening enforcement of RLIUPA against violations.

The Supreme Court ruled that a Rastafarian man cannot seek damages from Louisiana prison officials who shaved his dreadlocks, citing the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The decision, split along ideological lines, held that individual officers could not be liable for violating religious rights, as the prison—not the officials—accepted federal funds required to uphold RLUIPA protections.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that a Louisiana man cannot sue prison officials for shaving his head despite presenting a court ruling allowing him to keep his hair for religious reasons as a Rastafarian. The majority held that a federal law protecting prisoners' religious rights does not authorize lawsuits for monetary damages under the Constitution’s spending clause. A dissent argued the ruling leaves prisoners without remedies for religious freedom violations.