Johnson v. State of New York

Appeal from an order of the Court of Claims (DeBow, J.), entered March 28, 2016, which granted defendant’s motion to dismiss the claim.

Claimant, an inmate at Upstate Correctional Facility, filed a claim alleging violations of both the state constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion and a directive of the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision regarding religious practice after he was precluded from registering as adherent to two different religions at the same time. Defendant answered and asserted numerous affirmative defenses, and subsequently moved for dismissal of the…