U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
Special Counsel for Religious DiscriminationRELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN FOCUS
To subscribe to Religious Freedom in Focus, please send an e-mail with your name and organization (if applicable) to firstfreedom@usdoj.gov
Volume 34 (July/August 2008)
- Former State Department Employee Receives Prison Sentence for Threats Against Arab-American Institute Employees
- State May Not Discriminate Against Religious Universities in Scholarship Program, Appeals Court Rules
- Revised Decision Issued in San Diego Boy Scout Case; Second Rehearing Petition Filed
Volume 33 (May/June 2008)
- Guilty Plea in Anti-Christian Arson Case
- Boston Man Indicted for Threat Against Iranian Woman
- DOJ Closes RLUIPA Investigation After City Amends Zoning Code and Allows Church to Meet in Former Moose Lodge
Volume 32 (March/April 2008)
- Civil Rights Charges Brought in Tennessee Mosque Arson Case
- School Board Unlawfully Discriminated Against Church’s Speech, Brief Argues
- DOJ Closes RLUIPA Investigation After Illinois Village Allows Mosque Expansion
- Final First Freedom Project Regional Seminar for 2008 Slated for Boston
Volume 31 (January/February 2008)
- Three Men Charged in Tennessee Mosque Burning
- Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Lying to FBI in Jewish Bias Attack Case
- Justice Department Settles Muslim Corrections Officer Religious Liberty Case
- Consent Decree Entered Requiring Equal Treatment of Religious Institutions
- Religious Freedom Seminar to be Held in Atlanta
Volume 30 (December 2007)
- DOJ Closes RLUIPA Investigation After County Allows Church’s Adult Education Classes to Continue
- West Virginia to Allow Scholarship Deferment for Student Missionary
- Third Circuit Clarifies RLUIPA’s “Equal Terms” Provision
- First Freedom Seminar to be Held in Washington, D.C. on January 30
Volume 29 (November 2007)
- Oregon White Supremacist Sentenced for Rock Attack on Synagogue
- Sentencing in Philadelphia Workplace Threat Case
- Seventh Circuit Rules Church Must Be Permitted to Locate in Commercial Zone on Same Basis As Secular Assemblies
- New York Village Ban on Shabbos House Violates RLUIPA, DOJ Argues
- Upcoming First Freedom Project Seminars
Volume 28 (October 2007)
- Second Circuit Finds Jewish School’s Rights Were Violated in Zoning Permit Denial, Upholds Constitutionality of RLUIPA
- Federal Court Rules Taking of Mosque’s Land May Violate RLUIPA
- "Pervasively Sectarian" Scholarship Ban Conflicts with Constitution, Brief Argues
- Religious Freedom Seminar Slated for Los Angeles
Volume 27 (August/September 2007)
- Consent Decree Entered in Florida Sabbath Accommodation Case
- Mormon Scholarship Recipient Denied Equal Treatment, Brief Argues
- Zoning Authorities Cannot Bar Church From Zone Where Secular Assemblies Are Permitted, United States Argues to Seventh Circuit
- Registration Still Open for September 19 Religious Freedom Seminar in Chicago
Volume 26 (June/July 2007)
- Philadelphia Woman Pleads Guilty to Sending Threat to Muslim Supervisor
- Township’s Taking of Mosque’s Property Implicates RLUIPA, United States Argues
- Second Circuit Sends Bronx Household of Faith Back to Lower Court
- First Freedom Project Seminar to be Held in Chicago
Volume 25 (May 2007)
- Civil Rights Division Settles Muslim Student Prayer Case
- Settlement Reached in Wisconsin Student Fees Case
- Criminal Charges Filed Over Workplace Threat Targeting Muslim-American Woman
- Next First Freedom Project Seminars Announced
Volume 24 (April 2007)
- Oregon White Supremacist Sentenced to 11 Years in Synagogue Attack
- Indianapolis Must Give Equal Treatment to Churches in Commercial District, Civil Rights Division Argues
- Seventh Circuit Dismisses Challenge to Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill
- Tampa Seminar Draws Diverse Audience
Volume 23 (March/April 2007)
- DOJ Sues New York Corrections Department Over Refusal to Make Religious Accommodations
- Assistant Attorney General Kim Argues For Expansive Reading of RLUIPA’s Anti-Discrimination Protections
- Inaugural First Freedom Project Regional Seminar Held in Kansas City
- DOJ Closes RLUIPA Investigation After Church Obtains Zoning Approval
Volume 22 (January/February 2007)
- Attorney General Announces New DOJ Initiative: The First Freedom Project
- California School District Modifies Policies to Permit Excused Absences for Religious Holidays
- Ninth Circuit Certifies Boy Scouts Case to California Supreme Court, But Petition for En Banc Rehearing is Pending
Volume 21 (November/December 2006)
- Censoring Religious Song at School Talent Show Unconstitutional, Federal Court Rules
- Settlement Reached in Church Eminent Domain Case
- United States Brief Argues That Village Interfered with Orthodox Jews’ Religious Obligation to Visit the Sick
- United States Files Brief to Protect Florida Zoning Discrimination Settlement
Volume 20 (October 2006)
- United States Files Civil Rights Suit Over Village Barring of Orthodox Jewish Shabbos House
- Michigan Court Finds that School Discriminated Against Student’s Religious Speech
- Appeals Court Rules that Public Library May Exclude Religious Group Seeking Equal Access to Community Room
Volume 19 (August/September 2006)
- Guilty Pleas, Sentencing in Synagogue Attack Case
- Ninth Circuit Rules Sikh Congregation's Rights Violated by Zoning Action; Upholds Constitutionality of RLUIPA
- Consent Decree Reached in Ohio Religious Accommodation Suit
- DOJ Files RLUIPA Brief in Jewish Day School Case
Volume 18 (June/July 2006)
- Consent Decree Reached in Synagogue Discrimination Case
- DOJ Defends Student’s Right to Sing Religious Song
- DOJ Files Brief Clarifying the Equal Terms Provision of RLUIPA
- DOJ Again Supports Bronx Household of Faith’s Appeal to the Second Circuit
Volume 17 (April/May 2006)
- Appeals Court Reinstates Sabbath Accommodation Suit
- Florida Court Permits Synagogue Discrimination Suit to Go Forward
- Seizing Churches’ Land Through Zoning Plan Can Violate RLUIPA, Brief Argues
- Georgia Church Project Approved; Civil Rights Division Closes Investigation into 3-Acre Restriction for Churches
- Religious Bias Crime Update
Volume 16 (February/March 2006)
- Civil Rights Division Argues Boy Scouts Can Participate in City Lease Program; Acknowledgment of God Does Not Make Scouts a Religious Organization
- Guilty Plea, Sentencings in Bias Crime Cases
- City Reverses Course and Allows Church to Build After DOJ Opens Investigation
- Hearing Held in RLUIPA Case Alleging Discrimination Against Hasidic Jews
Volume 15 (December 2005/January 2006)
- Indiana School District Agrees to Give Students Excused Absences for Religious Holidays
- Guilty Plea in Temple Attack
- Consent Decree Reached in Housing Harassment Case
- Division Supports Equal Access to Library Community Room
- Brief Contends that Higher Education Scholarship Program Unconstitutionally Discriminates Against Religion
Volume 14 (October/November 2005)
- Salvation Army’s Government Contracts Do Not Waive its Religious Freedom Protection, Court Rules
- DOJ Obtains Consent Decree in Bus Driver Religious Accommodation Case
- Federal Court Permanently Bars New York City School Board’s Discrimination Against Religious Speech
- Guilty Pleas in Detroit Mosque Threat Cases
- United States Argues that Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill Does Not Violate Constitution
- United States Urges Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to Uphold Constitutionality of RLUIPA
Volume 13 (August/September 2005)
- Suit Alleges Religious Discrimination in Ohio Union Fee Rules
- Division Defends Student’s Right to Observe Religious Holidays
- Guilty Plea in Washington Cross Burning
Volume 12 (June/July 2005)
- Supreme Court Upholds Constitutionality of RLUIPA
- Sentencing in Firebomb Attack on Mosque
- DOJ Suit Alleges Township Discriminated Against Jewish School
- Town Changes Ordinance that Discriminated Against Churches in Response to DOJ Investigation
- Brief Filed in Sabbath Accommodation Case
- New Religious Freedom Publications Available from the Department of Justice
Volume 11 (April/May 2005)
- DOJ Asks Court to Permanently Bar New York Public Schools From Religious Discrimination
- Sentencing in Cemetery Desecration Case
- Civil Rights Division Suit Claims Florida City Discriminated Against Synagogue
Volume 10 (March 2005)
- Community College Reverses Ban on The Passion of the Christ After DOJ Intervention
- Civil Rights Division Settles Muslim Student Harassment Case
- Civil Rights Division Defends Michigan Student’s Religious Expression in “Candy-Cane” Case
- Maui to Permit Church Construction; Suit Dismissed at U.S. Request
Volume 9 (January/February 2005)
- Civil Rights Division Supports Boy Scouts' Right to Use Parkland
- Seventh Circuit RLUIPA Victory
- Brief Filed in Florida School Choice Case
- Civil Rights Division Closes Investigation After City Grants Synagogue Permit
- Religious Bias Crimes Update
Volume 8 (November/December 2004)
- Texas City Agrees to Equal Access for Religious Groups
- California Court Holds Religious-Speech Fee Unconstitutional
- Morton Grove, IL, Grants Special Use Permit for School After DOJ Mediation
- Supplemental Brief Filed In Salvation Army Case
- Focus on Religious Bias Crimes
Volume 7 (October 2004)
- Federal Appeals Court Upholds Equal Access for New Jersey Good News Club
- Civil Rights Division Defends California Good News Club's Right to Equal Access
- Civil Rights Division Files Religious Discrimination Suit Against New York MTA
- Follow-Up: Guilty Plea in Mosque E-mail Threat Case
Volume 6 (August/September 2004)
- Civil Rights Division Defends Constitutionality of Salvation Army Programs
- Texas City Council Changes Course and Permits Church Construction After DOJ Investigation
- Civil Rights Division Files Brief in RLUIPA Appeal
- Civil Rights Division Files Title VII Suit Against Los Angeles Transportation Authority for Failure to Accommodate Sabbath
Volume 5 (June/July 2004)
- Court Upholds Right of Good News Clubs to Distribute Flyers and Permission Slips
- Guilty Pleas in Church Desecration Case
- Supreme Court Reverses Lower Court Invalidation of Pledge, Sidesteps Constitutionality Question
- Brief Filed in Support of Congregation in Land-Use Dispute
- Morton Grove, IL, Settles Lawsuit with School After DOJ Mediation
Volume 4 (May 2004)
- Court Enters Consent Decree Guaranteeing Muslim Girl's Right to Wear Headscarf to School
- Appeals Court Rules Florida City Discriminated Against Orthodox Jewish Congregations
- USA PATRIOT Act Leads to Arrest in Bias Crime Against El Paso Mosque
- Conviction of Tallahassee Mosque Attacker Upheld
Volume 3 (April 2004)
- Civil Rights Division Intervenes in Suit to Protect Muslim Student's Right to Wear Headscarf to Public School
- Constitutionality of Church-Arson Prevention Act Upheld
- Civil Rights Division Anticipates Decisions in Two Good News Club Cases
Volume 2 (March 2004)
- Civil Rights Division Submits Brief Defending the Boy Scouts' Right to Use City Land in San Diego; Court Refuses to Accept it
- Civil Rights Division Brief Defends Constitutionality of Title VII
- Civil Rights Division Closes Pennsylvania Religious Zoning Discrimination Investigation
- Church Arson Act's Constitutionality Defended
- Supreme Court Reverses Ninth Circuit in Locke v. Davey
Volume 1 (February 2004)
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Last updated March 30, 2007