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Short-Lived Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Global Tel*Link in California, Then Secretly Settled
by Mike Brodheim
Sick and tired of being gouged by high prison phone rates, Nadia Alvarez and Rachel Fishenfeld, two California residents, filed a consumer class action suit against Global Tel*Link (GTL) in August 2010. GTL, a major telecommunications company that contracts with prisons and jails throughout the country to …
Sick and tired of being gouged by high prison phone rates, Nadia Alvarez and Rachel Fishenfeld, two California residents, filed a consumer class action suit against Global Tel*Link (GTL) in August 2010. GTL, a major telecommunications company that contracts with prisons and jails throughout the country to …
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More from this issue:
- Legacy of Corruption: GEO Buys Off the Florida Political Establishment, by Beau Hodai
- Summary Judgment for Illinois Jail Nurse Reversed in Wrongful Death Suit, by Brandon Sample
- Band-aid Applied to Florida’s Homeless Sex Offender Colony Falls Off, by David Reutter
- Nevada Agrees to Settle Class Action Lawsuit Over Medical Treatment at Ely State Prison
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Safety Concerns of a Prisoner Rights Lawyer
- Second Circuit: New York’s Persistent Felony Offender Statute Held Constitutional in En Banc Ruling, by Matthew Clarke
- Federal BOP’s Exclusions from Early Release Incentive for Substance Abuse Program Completion Struck Down
- U.S. Supreme Court Upholds $625,000 Judgment for Female Prisoner Molested by Ohio Prison Guard, by John Dannenberg
- Sixth Circuit Holds Pre-1992 Michigan Lifers Not Entitled to Ex Post Facto Relief
- California Prison System Lays Off Teachers, Vocational Instructors, by Michael Brodheim
- Virginia Federal Court Invalidates DOC Ban on Sexually Explicit Books, by David Reutter
- State Inspections Compel Changes at Abusive Michigan Juvenile Facility, by David Reutter
- Report Faults Private Prison Company for Deadly Arizona Prison Break, by Matthew Clarke
- Have a Cell Phone in Your Rectum? Body Cavity Searches OK’d in First Circuit, but Surgical Searches Are Not, by Brandon Sample
- Probation May Not Be Conditioned On Overly Broad Court Access Restrictions
- Social Security Audit Criticizes Prisoners’ Access to Personal Data; Federal Legislation Passed, by Matthew Clarke
- Georgia Eases Sex Offender Restrictions in Face of Federal Court Challenge
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- Prison Health Services Doctors Caught in Scandals
- Prisoner Labor Used to Clean Up BP Oil Spill, by Matthew Clarke
- Former Orange County Jail Detainee Paid $750,000 to Settle Guard Tasering Suit
- Massachusetts: Wrongful Conviction Suit Settled for $3.25 Million
- Class Action Certified in California Federal Civil Rights Suit Against TransCor
- Towns Defaulting on Prison and Jail Bonds, by Matthew Clarke
- $100,000 Settlement in Nebraska Jail Prisoner Suicide Suit
- Florida: Cost Savings and Benefits of Prison Privatization Non-Existent, by David Reutter
- PLN and HRDC Win Consent Judgment Against Louisiana Sheriff in Censorship Case
- Tennessee: Private Prison Guards Considered “Public Servants”
- Texas Audits Private Prison and Substance Abuse Treatment Contract Monitoring, by Matthew Clarke
- Short-Lived Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Global Tel*Link in California, Then Secretly Settled, by Michael Brodheim
- Kentucky Guards Sentenced to Federal Prison in Detainee Abuse Prosecution
- U.S. Supreme Court: No Federal Habeas Relief for California Lifer Parole Denials, by John Dannenberg
- Ohio Governor Spares Death Row Prisoner, Cites Problems with Evidence, by Derek Gilna
- $373,000 Settlement in New York City Juvenile Facility “Building Tenders” Suit, by Brandon Sample
- Disgraced Doctor Good Enough for Texas Prisoners, by Matthew Clarke
- New Mexico Corrections Secretary Lets Private Prison Firms Skate on Understaffing, Forgoes $18.6 Million in Fines, by Matthew Clarke
- California Prison Officials Pay $10,000 to Settle Prisoner’s Retaliation, Conditions Suit
- BOP’s Furlough Notification Policy Not to be Addressed for Seven Years, by Derek Gilna
- Continuing Violation Doctrine Applies to Deliberate Indifference in New York
- Fifth Circuit Holds Texas Parole Revocation Witness Denial Violates Due Process
- Terminally Ill Maryland Prisoner May Refuse Treatment; State’s Highest Court Denies Forced Treatment, by Mark Wilson
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- Second Circuit Holds Costs May be Denied to Prevailing Party on Appeal
- Second Circuit Reverses Denial of RLUIPA Dietary Claim
- Ninth Circuit Rules Prisoners Not Required to Include Legal Theories in Grievances
- Wisconsin Civil Commitment Patients Denied Minimum Wage
- North Carolina Prisoner Prevails in Claim Related to Paruresis, AKA “Shy Bladder”
- News in Brief:
More from Michael Brodheim:
- California: Prisoner Not Entitled to Points Reduction in Classification Score Unless Actually Participating in Programs, Aug. 24, 2016
- CDCR Adopts New Contraband Rules on Obscene, Gang-related Materials, July 7, 2015
- Arizona Department of Corrections Adopts Same-Sex Marriage Policy, July 7, 2015
- California Prison Officials Ordered to Provide Qualified Sign Language Interpreters for All Deaf Prisoners, July 7, 2015
- Plata Court Authorizes Force-Feeding of Hunger-Striking California Prisoners, July 2, 2015
- June, 2013 Proves To Be Deadly Month for California Prisoners, June 12, 2015
- California: Commission Recommends Reforms for Jail Overcrowding, Sentencing, June 12, 2015
- Nevada Jail Charges Prisoners for Meals, Medical Care to Defray Costs, June 3, 2015
- Pennsylvania Jail Guard Who Assaulted Prisoner Gets Home Confinement, Probation, June 3, 2015
- California Pays $585,000 to Settle Suit by Prisoner Who Lost Eye Due to Poor Medical Care, May 6, 2015
More from these topics:
- The Succession Battle for a Prison Empire, Dec. 1, 2025. Telephone Rates, Private Phone Contractors.
- FCC Backtracks on 2024 Order to Cut Prison Phone and Video Rates by Half, Aug. 1, 2025. Telephone Rates, Video Visitation, Private Phone Contractors, Securus.
- California Prisoners Sue Gynecologist for Sexual Abuse, Aug. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Class Certification.
- HRDC Collaborates on Prison Telecom Cost Report to Washington Lawmakers, Aug. 1, 2025. Electronic Tablets, Telephone Access, Telephone Rates.
- JPay Loses Bid to Revoke Class Certification in Washington Prisoners’ Challenge to Crummy Products and Service, July 15, 2025. Electronic Tablets, Computers, Telephone Rates, Securus.
- Free Calls in Massachusetts Lead to Defunded Prison Programs, July 15, 2025. Telephone Access, Telephone Rates, Private Phone Contractors.
- GTL/ViaPath Ordered to Pay $3 Million for Violations of Consumer Protection Laws, June 1, 2025. Telephone Rates, Bid-Rigging, Price-Fixing, etc., Global Tel*Link Corp.
- GTL, Co-Defendant Agree to $21.3 Million Settlement with HRDC in Price-Fixing Lawsuit, April 1, 2025. Settlements, Seizure of Prisoner Funds, Telephone Rates, HRDC Litigation, Global Tel*Link Corp.
- Pay-for-Play Tablets: The Costly New Prison Paradigm, March 1, 2025. Food/Commissary (Private Prisons), Electronic Tablets, Seizure of Prisoner Funds, Telephone Rates, Tapes/Music, Securus, Global Tel*Link Corp.
- Seventh Circuit Reverses Denial of Class Certification in Suit Over Inadequate Dental Care at Chicago Jail, March 1, 2025. Dental Care, Failure to Treat, Class Certification.

