Turtle Talk

Navajo Nation v. United States Forest Service is set for this week’s conference. From SCOTUSblog:

Docket: 08-846
Title: Navajo Nation, et al. v. United States Forest Service, et al.
Issue: Whether a governmental action cannot constitute a “substantial burden” under RFRA unless it forces individuals to choose between following the tenets of their religion and receiving a governmental benefit or coerces them by threatening civil or criminal sanctions to act contrary to their religious beliefs.

• Opinion below (9th Circuit)
• Petition for certiorari
• Brief in opposition
• Brief in opposition (federal respondents)
• Petitioner’s reply
• Brief amicus curiae of Religious Liberty Law Scholars (in support of petitioners)
• Brief amicus curiae of The Friends Committee on National Legislation et al. (in support of petitioners)
• Brief amicus curiae of National Congress of American Indians et al. (in support of petitioners)

[Akin Gump and Howe and Russell represent the petitioners]