Dismissal of Paid Suit Counts as a "Strike" by The court of appeals for the seventh circuit held that the dismissal of a lawsuit in which the filing fee had been paid counts as a "strike" under 28 U.S.C. § 1915(g). Section (g) of the In Forma Pauperis statute requires …
AEDPA Applies to Prison Disciplinary Hearings by The court of appeals for the seventh circuit held that the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA), Public Law No. 104-132, which amended the federal habeas corpus statutes, applies to habeas petitions challenging prison disciplinary hearings. The court also held Indiana prisoners …
Jury Awards $201,501 to Raped Indiana Prisoner by John Emry By John Emry Graylon Bell was placed in the Plainfield Correctional Facility operated by the Indiana Department of Correction in January of 1994. Shortly after, another prisoner, Grady Vaxter, started hitting on Bell hinting Vaxter was interested in Bell and …
Factual Findings Required in 8th Amendment Suit by The court of appeals for the seventh circuit held that district courts must make clear, specific factual findings when ruling on contested issues relevant to prisoners' constitutional claims. Aaron Isby, an Indiana state prisoner, filed suit claiming his eighth amendment rights were …
Fear Alone Doesn't Violate Eighth Amendment: No Immunity for Retaliation by The court of appeals for the seventh circuit held that a prisoner's fear of being attacked, by itself, does not violate the eighth amendment. The court also held that prison officials who retaliate against prisoners who complain about prison …
Seventh Circuit Applies ADA to Prisoners by The court of appeals for the seventh circuit held that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. § 12132 and the Rehabilitation Act (RA), 29 U.S.C. § 794, explicitly apply to state prisoners. Anyone litigating an ADA or RA claim will find …
Consent Decree Termination Provision Upheld by A federal district court in Indiana held that 18 U.S.C. § 3636(b)(2), which allows for the immediate termination of previously entered consent decrees, is constitutional. The court rejected arguments that § 3626(b)(2) violates prisoners' right to equal protection, impairs contracts and violates the separation …
PLRA Physical Harm Requirement Not Retroactive by A federal district court in Indiana held that 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(e), which precludes suits by prisoners seeking money damages in the absence of physical harm, does not apply retroactively to suits filed before the PLRA's enactment. The court also held a prisoner …
Anderson v. Bayh, IN, Consent Order, Medical Care, 1997 Hamid R. Kashani Attorney at Law 445 North Pennsylvania Street, Suite 600 Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-1806 317/ 632-1000 Fax: 317/ 632-5520 Electronic: HKashani@aol.com July 1, 1997 Mr. David A. Arthur Office of Indiana Attorney General Indiana Government Center South 402 W. Washington …
Farmer Loses at Jury Trial by In the July, 1994, issue of PLN we reported Farmer v. Brennan, 114 S.Ct. 1970 (1994), where the supreme court held that prisoners have an eighth amendment right to be protected by prison officials from rape or attack by other prisoners. Farmer proceeded to …
Indiana ADA Verdict Affirmed by In the March, 1996, issue of PLN we reported Love v. Westville Correctional Center, 896 F. Supp. 808 (ND IN 1995) where the court granted the plaintiff a new trial on his Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. § 12101, claim. After a new …
Consent Decrees Enforceable on Its Own Terms by The court of appeals for the seventh circuit held that a consent decree that incorporated state law requirements on prison officials did not violate the eleventh amendment and could be enforced on its own terms. In 1992 Indiana state prisoners filed suit …
Reliable Evidence Required at Disciplinary Hearing by A federal district court in Indiana granted a habeas corpus petition after finding a prisoner was denied the ability to present exculpatory evidence at a prison disciplinary hearing. Monte McPherson, an Indiana state prisoner, was infracted and found guilty of having sex with …
PLRA 'Physical Injury' Requirement Affirmed by In the first published case on this issue, a federal district court in Indiana held that a provision of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), requiring "physical injury" before a prisoner's lawsuit can proceed, mandated dismissal of prisoners' claim that they were exposed to …
Disputed Facts Require Trial in Beating Case by The court of appeals for the seventh circuit held that a district court had improperly dismissed a pretrial detainees' excessive force claim. Reginold Dorsey was an Indiana pretrial detainee who filed suit claiming jail guards beat him without provocation during a cell …
Consent Decree Termination by A federal district court in Indiana heard a motion by Lake County officials to dissolve a consent decree governing jail conditions. The motion sought immediate termination of the decree pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3626(b)(2) and (3). The court gave an extensive discussion to the history …
TB Isolation May Violate RFRA by A federal district court in Indiana held that a prison policy of isolating Muslim prisoners who refused tuberculosis screening tests may violate the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb(b)(1) and the eighth amendment. Indiana prisoners who refuse TB tests involving the …
Habeas Petition Not Mooted by Segregation Release by The court of appeals for the seventh circuit held that when a prisoner challenges a disciplinary hearing via federal habeas corpus collateral consequences will be presumed by the court. Martin Bryan is an Indiana state prisoner. He was infracted for allegedly reaching …
Hill v. Germantown, TN, Plaintiff Consolidated Brief Supporting Fed Damages Claims - Joint and Several Liability in Wrongful Death (1997) IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF TENNESSEE FOR THE THIRTIETH JUDICIAL DISTRICT AT MEMPHIS GREGORY HILL, et al., Plaintiffs, vs. NO. 70577-9 T.D. CITY OF GERMANTOWN, et al., Defendants. RONALD CROWDER, …
PLRA Applied to Released Prisoners by The court of appeals for the seventh circuit held that appeals filed after the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) was enacted on April 26, 1996, were subject to dismissal unless a former prisoner paid the filing fees based on the funds he had in …
