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Non-English Speaking Fed Prisoner Entitled to Representative at Prison Disciplinary Hearing
In 1976, Aharon Ron, a federal prisoner in Lexington, Kentucky, was found hiding in a barn with his visitor. He was infracted for being in an unauthorized area. Ron didn't understand English very well and, when presented with forms written in English, refused to sign all but one requesting a representative to help him with the proceedings.
Because he wasn't allowed to sign just one of the forms (he apparently had to sign all three or none at all), he was found guilty and lost 90 days of good time. He challenged the same in a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, which the federal district court dismissed. He appealed.
On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit remanded the case to the district court to determine whether the prison had violated Ron's Constitutional rights by not allowing him to have a representative who understood English to help him during the disciplinary hearing. See: Ron v. Wilkinson, 565 F.2d 1254 (2nd Cir. 1977).
Because he wasn't allowed to sign just one of the forms (he apparently had to sign all three or none at all), he was found guilty and lost 90 days of good time. He challenged the same in a Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, which the federal district court dismissed. He appealed.
On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit remanded the case to the district court to determine whether the prison had violated Ron's Constitutional rights by not allowing him to have a representative who understood English to help him during the disciplinary hearing. See: Ron v. Wilkinson, 565 F.2d 1254 (2nd Cir. 1977).
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Related legal case
Ron v. Wilkinson
| Year | 1977 |
|---|---|
| Cite | 565 F.2d 1254 (2nd Cir. 1977) |
| Level | Court of Appeals |
| Injunction Status | N/A |