Public case spotlight. This is a factual, plain-language summary of a publicly documented U.S. Supreme Court decision, provided for general information only. It is not legal advice and does not promise or guarantee any particular outcome. How any decision applies depends on the specific facts, the facility, the jurisdiction, and current law.
In Holt v. Hobbs (2015), the Supreme Court considered a prison grooming rule that prevented a person from keeping a short beard that he said his religion required.
Reported outcome. According to the source, the Court unanimously held that the rule violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) as applied to the request to keep a half-inch beard for religious reasons.
This case is widely cited on religious accommodation for people who are incarcerated.
Source: Holt v. Hobbs, 574 U.S. 352 (2015), Justia U.S. Supreme Court Center — supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/574/352/
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