Hazle v. Crofoot
Hazle v. Crofoot
The Court held that the First Amendment is violated when the state coerces an individual to attend a religion-based drug or alcohol treatment program. Citing its 2013 decision in Inouye v. Kemna, 504 F.3d 705, which found "uncommonly well-settled case law," the Court ruled that the Plaintiff who is an atheist, over his numerous objections, was forced as a condition of parole to participate in a residential drug treatment program that required him to acknowledge a higher power. When he refused, he was removed from the treatment program and arrested; his parole was revoked, and he was imprisoned for an additional 100 days. Instead of a retrial, on remand, the matter was reportedly settled with the state paying $1M and the treatment agency $925K, see http://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article2768782.html)