Supreme Court rules against Rastafarian who sued prison officials for cutting his dreadlocks | CNN Politics

CNN —

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that a devout Rastafarian who attempted to sue prison officials for cutting his dreadlocks could not proceed with his case, a decision that will likely make it harder for believers of other faiths to enforce federal religious protections in prison.

The decision, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, marked a rare instance in which the conservative Supreme Court sided against a religious claim and underscored its hesitancy to let Americans sue to enforce their rights without explicit authority from Congress.

The court ruled that the man could not sue state officials over his treatment because local officials were not aware of the details federal law that protects religion.

“Under the Spending Clause, Congress’s power to spend money does not include the power to regulate,” Gorsuch wrote. “Spending Clause statutes can bind only those who voluntarily and knowingly undertake obligations by agreement with the federal government.”