Phillips v. Dugger

How later courts describe this case

• in free exercise of religion case there is no requirement that inmate's belief be shared by a majority of the religion’s adherents
• prison authorities can make reasonable attempts to balance a prisoner’s freedom of religion with the goal of avoiding excessive administrative expense
• the trier of fact first must determine whether the prisoner is sincere in his or her asserted religious beliefs
• failure to send request by certified mail irrelevant if the letter is actually received
• minority status of inmate’s belief is not significant