HOME > First Amendment Library > Case   O'Lone v. Shabazz (docket #: 85-1722) (1987)  [Findlaw] Argument Date 03/24/1987 Decided 06/09/1987 Supreme Court Vote 5-4 Supreme Court Ruling Free Exercise claim denied; the prison policies have legitimate penological interests, which are supported by the fact that they do not deprive respondents of all forms of religious exercise.   Issue Whether prison regulations that required prisoners to work outside on Friday afternoons, thereby making it impossible for them to attend Muslim congregational services held at that time, violated their rights under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. Majority Opinion Rehnquist, C.J. (joined by White, Powell, O’Connor, and Scalia, JJ.) Dissenting Opinion Brennan, J. (joined by Marshall, Stevens. and Blackmun, JJ.) Lower Court 3rd Circuit Lower Court Ruling Free Exercise Claim upheld. Lawyers For Petitioner Deputy Attorney General of New Jersey Laurie M. Hodian For Respondent James Katz For Amicus Roger Clegg (For the United States, urging reversal) Briefs For Amicus American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, American Jewish Congress, Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, Prisoners’ Rights Project of the Legal Aid Society of the city of New York, Imam Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin (for Respondents) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (supporting Petitioners) National Congress of American Indians (as amici curiae) Opinion - Lower Court Shabazz v. O’Lone, 782 F.2d 416 (C.A.3 1983) News Cheslownewark, Jerry, "Prison Prayer Edict Under Appeal," New York Times, Feb. 21, 1988, pg. 541 Other Tribe, Laurence, AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (22nd ed., 1988) sect. 14.13 Witte, John, Jr., RELIGION AND THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERIMENT (2000), pp. 138,139  SEARCH MORE About this site About the First Amendment About the First Amendment Center How to contribute Video/RSS/podcasts First Amendment programs State of the First Amendment reports Religious liberty in public schools First Reports Supreme Court Columnists Experts First Amendment publications First Amendment Center history Glossary Freedom Sings™ Events First Amendment Schools Congressional Research Service reports Guest editorials FOI material The First Amendment Library Lesson plans freedomforum.org Newseum Contact us Privacy statement Related links