| Legal Landmarks and Laws that Protect Pagans and Your Religious Freedoms |
| This page was created to allow other Pagans information on laws that protect their religous freedoms: at work, at play, and in the government. ~Samhaincat |
| CASES THAT GAVE US EQUALITY AND PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW |
| Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances |
| FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE UNITED STATES |
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| DETTMER VS. LANDON A court case that landmarked Wicca as a religion in the eyes of the court. This case came about as an inmate named Mr. Landon was refuses and harassed regarding his religous preference of Wicca. He had requested that a white hooded robe, a statue of a deity, candles and incense, sea salt or sulfur, and a cooking timer be allowed to him for use in his religous workings. It was viewed by the Correctional Facility Administration that these items were considered contraband. It was decided by the court that Dettmer shall be allowed the items. This case brought Wicca and its teachings en masse to the correctional institution systems. |
| BELL VS. WOLFISH A court case regarding the safety and security of an institution. This specific case highlighted that some religious items may be not allowed due to security issues. The court claimed, "When an institutional restriction infringes a specific constitutional guarantee, such as the First Amendment, the practice must be evaluated in the light of the central objective of prison administration, safeguarding institutional security." |
| WHEELER VS. CONDON A court case regarding the rights and priveledges of an organization's officers to receive mail for that organization. |
| UNITED STATES VS. PHILLIPS A court case regarding Paganism in the Military, a subject that has come under recent fire. It examined the rights of a Pagan to possess his religious preference while serving in the Armed Forces. It also looked at the evidence that a Book of Shadows serves as a holy book or bible for Wiccans. |
| TURNER VS. SAFLEY A court case that examined the rights of an inmate to his religous preference. The court claimed, "Prison walls do not form a barrier seperating prison inmates from the protections of the constitutions." |
| HURSTON VS. HENDERSON A court case that examined a victim of not only religous harassment and discrimination but also bigotry due to a physical handicap. Hurston was disabled by a hearing loss and was subjected to verbal harassment by his co-workers regarding his Wiccan religon. This was a case that involved the Equal Opportunity Act as well as allegations against the United States Postal Service. Mr. Hurston was forbidden from wearing religious items while other faiths were permitted this opportunity |
| SEIFFERLY VS. LINCOLN PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT A court case that was brought forth by a student of a High School. Ms. Seifferly was denied the right to wear the pentacle to high school as it was said to represent gang symbols. The punishment for expressing the pentacle was confiscation of this holy item and indefinite suspention. The case was won by the young woman and set a landmark for young Pagans to express their religous freedom in school. |
| MARSH VS. MICHIGAN CORRECTIONAL FACILITY A court case regarding the use of incense in a correctional facility. Marsh was refused in this endevor while other faiths were allowed to participate in their religious activities regarding incense use. |
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