Holt v. Hobbs
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13-6827 | 8th Cir. | Oct 7, 2014 | Jan 20, 2015 | 9-0 | Alito | OT 2014 |
Holding: An Arkansas prison policy that prevents a Muslim prisoner from growing a half-inch beard in accordance with his religious beliefs violates the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Alito on January 20, 2015. Justice Ginsburg filed a concurring opinion, in which Justice Sotomayor joined. Justice Sotomayor also filed a concurring opinion.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- A unanimous Supreme Court endorses religious liberties in prison: In Plain English (Amy Howe, January 20, 2015)
- Argument report: Trouble at the lectern (Lyle Denniston, October 7, 2014)
- Beard ban under fire: In Plain English (Amy Howe, October 7, 2014)
- Shave and a haircut: Prisoner grooming and RLUIPA (Video) (Kali Borkoski, October 6, 2014)
- Court to consider prison beard ban: In Plain English (Amy Howe, October 3, 2014)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 09/27/2013 | Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due November 12, 2013) |
| 10/11/2013 | Application (13A374) for an injunction pending disposition of the petition for a writ of certiorari, submitted to Justice Alito. |
| 10/16/2013 | Response to application (13A374) requested by Justice Alito. (Due Thursday, October 24, 2013, by 4 p.m. EDT.) |
| 10/24/2013 | Response to application from respondent Ray Hobbs, Director, Arkansas Department of Correction, et al. filed. |
| 10/29/2013 | Waiver of right of respondents Ray Hobbs, Director, Arkansas Department of Correction, et al. to respond filed. |
| 10/31/2013 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 15, 2013. |
| 11/01/2013 | Response Requested . (Due December 2, 2013) |
| 11/14/2013 | Application (13A374) referred to the Court. |
| 11/14/2013 | Application (13A374) granted by the Court. The application for an injunction submitted to Justice Alito and by him referred to the Court is granted pending disposition of applicant |
| 11/21/2013 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including January 16, 2014. |
| 01/03/2014 | Supplemental brief of petitioner Gregory Houston Holt, aka Abdul Maalik Muhammad filed. |
| 01/16/2014 | Brief of respondents Ray Hobbs, Director, Arkansas Department of Correction, et al. in opposition filed. |
| 01/30/2014 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of February 21, 2014. |
| 02/04/2014 | Reply of petitioner Gregory Houston Holt, aka Abdul Maalik Muhammad filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/24/2014 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of February 28, 2014. |
| 03/03/2014 | Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED. |
| 03/03/2014 | The order granting the petition for a writ of certiorari is amended as follows: The motion of petitioner for leave to proceed in forma pauperis is granted. The petition for a writ of certiorari is granted limited to the following question: |
| 04/01/2014 | The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including May 22, 2014. |
| 04/01/2014 | The time to file respondents' brief on the merits is extended to and including July 23, 2014. |
| 04/15/2014 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the respondents. |
| 04/21/2014 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioners. |
| 04/23/2014 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed) |
| 05/22/2014 | Brief of petitioner Gregory Houston Holt, aka Abdul Maalik Muhammad filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of the United States filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Anti-Defamation League, et al. filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of American Jewish Committee, et al. filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Former Corrections Officials John Clark, et al. filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Former Prison Wardens filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of Americans United for Separation of Church and State filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of Alliance Defending Freedom filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of National Congress of American Indians and Huy filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of National Jewish Commission on Law and Public Affairs, et al. filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of The Sikh Coalition and Muslim Public Affairs Council filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Prison Fellowship Ministries, et al. filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Dr. Ronald L. Akers, et al. filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, et al. filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Islamic Law Scholars filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of Women's Prison Association filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of The Rutherford Institute filed. |
| 05/29/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Reformed Prisoners Jesse Wiese, et al. filed. |
| 06/09/2014 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. |
| 07/09/2014 | Record requested from U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit. |
| 07/16/2014 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, October 7, 2014 |
| 07/23/2014 | Brief of respondents Ray Hobbs, Director, Arkansas Department of Correction, et al. filed. |
| 07/30/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Alabama, et al. filed. |
| 08/07/2014 | CIRCULATED. |
| 08/13/2014 | Record received from U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit. 1-Envelope. The full record is located on PACER. |
| 08/15/2014 | Record received from U.S.D.C. Eastern District of Arkansas Pine Bluff Division, 1 Envelope. |
| 08/22/2014 | Reply of petitioner Gregory Houston Holt, aka Abdul Maalik Muhammad filed. (Distributed) |
| 08/22/2014 | Proposal to lodge copies of two exhibits from an evidentiary hearing before the magistrate from counsel for petitioner. |
| 08/22/2014 | Proposal to lodge copies of responsive documents to extra-record representations made in respondents' brief on the merits from counsel for the petitioner. |
| 08/26/2014 | Letter from counsel for respondents in response to petitioner's lodging proposals. |
| 08/29/2014 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. |
| 10/07/2014 | Argued. For petitioner: Douglas Laycock, Charlottesville, Va.; and Anthony A. Yang, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) For respondents: David A. Curran, Deputy Attorney General, Little Rock, Ark. |
| 01/20/2015 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Alito, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. Ginsburg, J., filed a concurring opinion, in which Sotomayor, J., joined. Sotomayor, J., filed a concurring opinion. |
| 02/23/2015 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |
| 02/27/2015 | Record returned to U.S.D.C. Eastern District of Arkansas Pine Bluff Division. (1-Envelope). |
| 02/27/2015 | Record returned to U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit. (1-Envelope). |