---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 2000cc–2"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "2000cc–2"
heading: "Judicial relief"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/2000cc-2"
units:
  - "Chapter 21C — Protection of Religious Exercise in Land Use and by Institutionalized Persons"
---

# §2000cc–2. Judicial relief

- (a) **Cause of action—** A person may assert a [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c) of this chapter as a claim or defense in a judicial proceeding and obtain appropriate relief against a [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4). Standing to assert a claim or defense under this section shall be governed by the general rules of standing under article III of the Constitution.
- (b) **Burden of persuasion—** If a plaintiff produces prima facie evidence to support a claim alleging a [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c) of the [Free Exercise Clause](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=3) or a [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c) of [section 2000cc of this title](/usc/42/2000cc.md), the [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) shall bear the burden of persuasion on any element of the claim, except that the plaintiff shall bear the burden of persuasion on whether the law (including a regulation) or [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) practice that is challenged by the claim substantially burdens the plaintiff’s exercise of religion.
- (c) **Full faith and credit—** Adjudication of a claim of a [violation](/usc/42/2000e–16a.md?p=c) of [section 2000cc of this title](/usc/42/2000cc.md) in a non-Federal forum shall not be entitled to full faith and credit in a Federal court unless the [claimant](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=1) had a full and fair adjudication of that claim in the non-Federal forum.
- (d) **Omitted—**
- (e) **Prisoners—** Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to amend or repeal the Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (including provisions of law amended by that Act).
- (f) **Authority of United States to enforce this chapter—** The United States may bring an action for injunctive or declaratory relief to enforce compliance with this chapter. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to deny, impair, or otherwise affect any right or authority of the Attorney General, the United States, or any [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), officer, or employee of the United States, acting under any law other than this subsection, to institute or intervene in any proceeding.
- (g) **Limitation—** If the only jurisdictional basis for applying a provision of this chapter is a claim that a substantial burden by a [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) on [religious exercise](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=7-A) affects, or that removal of that substantial burden would affect, commerce with foreign nations, among the several [States](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), or with Indian tribes, the provision shall not apply if the [government](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=4) [demonstrates](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=2) that all substantial burdens on, or the removal of all substantial burdens from, similar [religious exercise](/usc/42/2000cc–5.md?p=7-A) throughout the Nation would not lead in the aggregate to a substantial effect on commerce with foreign nations, among the several [States](/usc/42/2021b.md?p=14), or with Indian tribes.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 106–274, § 4, Sept. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 804.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 106–274, Sept. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 803, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 2000cc of this title and Tables.

The Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995, referred to in subsec. (e), is Pub. L. 104–134, title I, § 101(a) [title VIII], Apr. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 1321, 1321–66. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1996 Amendment note set out under section 3601 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and Tables.

### Codification

Section is comprised of section 4 of Pub. L. 106–274. Subsec. (d) of section 4 of Pub. L. 106–274 amended section 1988(b) of this title.