Failure to Timely Object Waives Discovery Objection by Failure to object timely to discovery requests may result in waiver of the objection, though courts should avoid "hair-trigger" findings of waiver. Rule 34 should be read like Rule 33 in this respect despite the lack of explicit provision for waiver. At …
Administrative Exhaustion Required Despite No Response to Grievance by A plaintiff who merely asserts generally that he has exhausted, not contesting the specific statement of defendants that they have no record of an appeal to the highest level, is subject to dismissal for non-exhaustion. Even though pro se papers are …
Administrative Exhaustion Required for Title VII Claims by Title VII claimants must exhaust administrative remedies. At 644: "Where a plaintiff's claims 'exceed the scope of the EEOC charge[s] and any charges that would naturally have arisen from an investigation thereof, they are procedurally barred.'" Here, the EEOC charge alleged only …
Jail Ban on Publications and Exercise Enjoined by A federal district court in North Carolina held that policies in the Gaston county jail banning paperback books, newspapers and magazines and denying detainees an opportunity to exercise were unconstitutional. The detainees were also denied constitutionally meaningful access to the courts. Court …
Test For Chemical Agents Use On Prisoners Discussed by The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals held that jury instructions given in a case challenging the use of chemical agents were proper in light of the plaintiffs' failure to object, and that the use of chemical agents on recalcitrant prisoners is …
Limits on Prison Labor Union Constitutionally Valid by The U.S Supreme Court ruled that prison regulations limiting the activities of a prison labor union did not violate the prisoners' First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Prisoner labor union members in the North Carolina Department of Correction filed a § 1983 action …
Prisons Required to Provide Law Libraries or Other Legal Aid by The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that prisons must provide prisoners with either adequate law libraries or adequate legal assistance. Prisoners in the North Carolina Department of Correction filed three separate 1983 actions in which they alleged constitutional violations of …
$35,000 Verdict Upheld in North Carolina Fire Hosing, Gassing, and Beatings; Supervisors Liable by $35,000 Verdict Upheld in North Carolina Fire Hosing, Gassing, and Beatings; Supervisors Liable The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a jury award against guards and prison administrators for the use of water hoses, billy clubs, …
Prison Superintendent's Demotion for Misconduct Upheld by Craig Hilliard, former Superintendent in charge of the Davidson County Correctional Center of the North Carolina Department of Corrections (DOC), appealed an administrative decision that he engaged in multiple acts of misconduct. Hilliard was demoted to the position of Programs Supervisor and filed …
Prisoners Entitled to Legal Research Access or Legal Assistance Program, But Not Both by Prisoners Entitled to Legal Research Access or Legal Assistance Program, But Not Both The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals held the State of North Carolina was under no constitutional duty to offer prisoners both adequate legal …
Parole Claim Moot after Release from Supervision by The United States Supreme Court held that a prisoner's full release from parole supervision rendered his procedural due process claims moot. In this decision, the Court describe the elements of the "capable of repetition, yet evading review" exception to the doctrine of …
Sheriff Not Liable in Prisoner Attack by The plaintiff alleged that he was assaulted by another prisoner after that prisoner had twice threatened him in the presence of a staff member, who did nothing despite the plaintiff's requests to be moved. The plaintiff alleged that the assailant should have been …
Denial of Feet Treatment, Paralegal Education, Visiting Suit Dismissed by The plaintiff's allegation of denial of treatment for "fallen arches" and "flat feet" do not "suggest a serious medical condition," so his claim is dismissed. The court cites no authority whatsoever for this medical judgment. The denial to plaintiff of …
BOP Work Release Policy Preliminary Enjoined by The Bureau of Prisons abruptly changed its policy of allowing prisoners to serve part or all of their time at Community Corrections Centers on judges' recommendations declaring the former policy illegal and applied the change to persons already sentenced. The court has inherent …
North Carolina Jail Liable for Brain Injury by The plaintiff was arrested, fell and hit his head while handcuffed as a result of a use of force, and sustained permanent serious brain damage as a result of a blood clot. Jail staff did not carry out a doctor's order to …
$110,000 Settlement for North Carolina Prisoner Beaten By Guards by A North Carolina prisoner who claimed jailers brutally beat him in the Mecklenburg County Jail (MCJ) will receive $110,000 in exchange for dropping his lawsuit against the county. Paul Midgett alleged that while imprisoned at MCJ on May 10, 2000, …
Suspension of Social Security Benefits for Prisoners Upheld by The court of appeals for the Fourth circuit held that 42 U.S.C. § 402(x), which suspends payment of social security benefits to incarcerated felons is constitutional. Social security benefits are non-contractual benefits subject to congressional discretion. Note that the statute only …
Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments Protect Against Excessive Use of Force by The U.S. Supreme Court held that §1983 actions alleging excessive use of force on free citizens should be analyzed pursuant to Fourth Amendment standards rather than the less protective Eighth Amendment standards used for prisoners. Petitioner was stopped by …
Prisoner Union Entitled to Protection by A North Carolina federal district court held that prisoners may solicit membership into a prisoner "labor union." This action was filed by the North Carolina Prisoners Labor Union, challenging a prison regulation that prohibited prisoners from soliciting membership into the union. The district court …
Federal Restitution Order Upheld by Different Sentencing Court by In 1993, a federal district court in North Carolina ordered Lauletto, Love to pay $50,000 in restitution following her conviction for credit card fraud. Several convictions later, a federal district court in Louisiana, as a parole condition, ordered her to pay …
