In Immanuel Baptist Church v. City of Chicago, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois recently ruled that the City of Chicago had violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act’s (RLUIPA) substantial burden provision
RLUIPA Defense Blog
Religious Land Uses, Zoning, and the Courts
The RLUIPA Defense Blog, published by Robinson & Cole LLP, focuses on legal issues related to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). It covers case law developments, court rulings, and practical implications of RLUIPA in land use disputes involving religious organizations. Topics include zoning challenges, substantial burden claims, equal terms provisions, and the intersection of religious freedom with municipal regulations. The blog analyzes how courts interpret and apply RLUIPA protections in various contexts such as property use, parking regulations, and housing for religious purposes. It also addresses related constitutional claims and state-level religious land use protections.
Blog Authors
Latest from RLUIPA Defense Blog
Eleventh Circuit Clarifies RLUIPA Substantial Burden Inquiry
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit recently clarified how to determine whether a substantial burden on religious exercise exists for purposes of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The case involves Vision Warriors…
Eleventh Circuit Finds City of Mobile Violated Religious Freedom Laws
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit recently considered a long-running religious land use dispute involving the Thai Meditation Association of Alabama (TMAA) and the city of Mobile, Alabama. The dispute involves TMAA’s desire to convert a…
Massachusetts’ SJC Rules RV Camp Protected by Dover Amendment
The Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) of Massachusetts recently ruled that the RV Camp proposed by Hume Lake Christian Camps’ (Hume) was predominantly religious in nature and therefore qualified for protection under the Dover Amendment. Similar to the federal Religious Land…
Fourth Circuit: Church Seeking to Operate as Brewery or Farm Winery Did Not State RLUIPA Claim
By Evan Seeman & Ryan Hoyler
The Fourth Circuit has ruled against the Alive Church of the Nazarene’s claims that Prince William County, Virginia, violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLIUPA) by denying the Church the opportunity to worship on its 17-acre property…
Madison, Wisconsin’s Denial of Athletic Field Lights Upheld Over Claims of Religious Discrimination
On December 30, 2022, a district court dismissed a Catholic high school’s RLUIPA challenge, granting summary judgment on all claims in favor of the City of Madison, Wisconsin and various other city officials (the City). As ruled by the court,…
Court Rules Meriden, CT’s Zoning Regulations Discriminatory
By Evan Seeman
A district court has ruled that the City of Meriden, Connecticut (the City) discriminated against Omar Islamic Center Inc. following the City’s denial of the Islamic Center’s application to move its mosque to another location. The Islamic Center (the Center)…
Federal Court Dismisses RLUIPA Challenge to Missouri Emergency Public Health Orders
By Evan Seeman
An interesting decision regarding RLUIPA and COVID-19 emergency public health orders was recently issued by a federal court in Missouri. Recall that in the land use context, RLUIPA applies only to “land use regulations.” The statute defines land use regulations…
St. Pete Beach, Florida Enjoined from Prohibiting Church’s Beach Parking Lot Evangelism
By Evan Seeman
A federal court in Florida recently ruled that Pass-A-Grille Beach Community Church, Inc. (Church) was likely to prevail on its RLUIPA substantial burden claim challenging the City of St. Pete Beach’s enforcement of parking regulations. Since 1957, the Church has…
First Circuit Rejects Signs For Jesus’ RLUIPA and Constitutional Appeal
By Evan Seeman
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit recently found in favor of the Town of Pembroke, New Hampshire regarding the Town’s denial of an application for an electronic sign permit for religious messages. The Town’s Zoning Board of…