Sossamon v. Texas, 563 U.S. 277 (2011), was a United States Supreme Court case on the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), and sovereign immunity.

The majority decision, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, held that the petitioner could not sue Texas state officials in their official capacity for damages under the RLUIPA, affirming a lower court ruling.

[1][2] The petitioner, Harvey Leroy Sossamon, III, was an inmate at the maximum security French M. Robertson Unit.

[3] Sossamon alleged that they were breaking the act by preventing him and other inmates from attending religious services if under disciplinary restrictions and disallowing use of the prison's chapel for religious worship under its policies.

[4][5] The Texas federal district court dismissed his claim for monetary damages, and Sossamon appealed.