Court Criticizes PLRA Attorney Fee Cap by David Reutter by David M. Reutter ( A federal district court for the Eastern District of Michigan (EDM) has held the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) caps attorney fees in prisoner civil rights cases, but criticized that holding. Michigan prisoner Blaine Sallier was …
Alabama Jail Enjoined for "Uncivilized and Hazardous Conditions" by Chief Judge Clemon of the Federal District Court, Northern District of Alabama, has preliminarily enjoined the Morgan County Jail, its sheriff, administrator, and commissioners, and the commissioner and transfer director of the Alabama Department of Corrections (DOC) because of conditions described …
$540,000 Settlement in Minnesota Jail Beating by Robert Woodman In October 2001, Hennepin County, Minnesota, agreed to pay $540,000 to settle a brutality suit against the county jail. It is believed to be the largest brutality settlement in county history. On September 4, 2000, Derek Martin, 43, was arrested on …
Pubic Hair Search by Medical Personnel Constitutional by The Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has overturned a district court's order that held as unconstitutional a Sheriff's policy of searching a prisoner's pubic hair prior to release. PLN previously reported the district court's order. (See: Skurstenis v. Jones , …
Detainee's Strip Search Unconstitutional, But Qualified Immunity Granted by The court of appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has held that a jail strip search of an arrestee without reasonable suspicion violates the Fourth Amendment, but granted qualified immunity. DeAngela Wilson was arrested at a checkpoint for driving under the influence …
State Prisons Abrogate Attorney-Client Mail Privilege by Just as the federal government has seized on the events of September 11, 2001, to push for a long list of previously desired powers and restrictions on civil liberties, state prison systems have done the same. Several states, including Massachusetts, Virginia, New Jersey, …
Michigan Disciplinary Hearing Class Action Settled by A federal district court in Michigan has approved a proposed settlement agreement in a classaction lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC). The Court also modified class representation. In 1996, Richard Heit and two others filed a complaint on behalf of themselves …
Michigan Prisoners Awarded Nearly $7,000 for Retaliatory Transfers by Lonnie Burton In February 2001, a federal judge ruled that two Michigan prisoners are entitled to almost $7,000 in damages after they were unjustly punished by the state Department of Corrections when they were transferred to highersecurity prisons. The transfers came …
Denial of Clothing to Arrestees States Claim for Relief; Suit Settles for $31,500 by A Michigan Federal District Court has ruled that arrestees detained in a city jail without any clothing or covering for between six and eighteen hours as a suicide prevention method, with limited exposure to viewing by …
U.S. Supreme Court Holds Violation of IAD's Anti-Shuttling Provisions Requires Dismissal by The United States Supreme Court held that the "anti-shuttling" provision of Article IV(e) of the Interstate Agreement on Detainers (IAD) requires dismissal of the pending criminal charge(s) in the receiving state when the prisoner is returned to the …
Denial of Treatment for Two Hours Defeats Qualified Immunity by Denial Of Treatment For Two Hours Defeats Qualified Immunity Afederal district court in Alabama has held a detainee's allegations that guards failed to take action on his complaints of chest pains for over two hours defeats qualified immunity. After being …
Staff Shortage in Nation's Prisons by Gary Hunter Across the nation, states are plagued by a shortage of prison guards. A decade of building prisons has created an industry that employs more people than General Electric, and costs taxpayers in excess of $40 billion a year. To fill the shortage …
Diabetic Prisoner's Deliberate Indifference Claim to Proceed to Trial by A federal district court in Alabama held that a diabetic pretrial detainee's medical neglect claim required a trial to resolve, overruling the defendants' motion for summary judgment. Wendi Flowers, a severe diabetic, was arrested and booked in the St. Clair …
Sixth Circuit Upholds PLRA Attorneys' Fees Cap by The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the cap on attorneys' fees imposed by the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA), 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(d)(3), does not violate the equal protection provision of the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This …
Michigan DOC Sex Abuse Suit Nets Nearly $4 Million by Roger Smith On February 7, 2000, Michigan DOC officials agreed to settle a lawsuit with 32 women prisoners for $3,787,000 in damages, costs, and attorney fees. The women sued in a Michigan federal district court after being sexually abused by …
Michigan Prison Visitor Forced to Wet Pants Wins $40,000 in Damages and Fees by Michigan Prison Visitor Forced To Wet Pants Wins $40,000 in Damages and Fees On February 12, 2001, James Glaspy was awarded $10,000 in damages at a bench trial in a Michigan federal district court. He sued …
INS Force-Feeds Long-Term Detainee by Mark Dow Nabil Soliman believes that "accepting a tray of food" from his jailers means accepting what he calls his "illegal detention" by the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS). Soliman has argued that it is a violation of his First Amendment right to expression and …
Supreme Court Restricts ADA by Roger Smith The U.S. Supreme Court overruled an Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals decision allowing disabled persons to sue State employers for money damages in federal court under Title I of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). 42 U.S.C. § 12112. The 54 majority held …
Arbitrary Denial of Michigan Appeal Bond Enjoined by A federal District Court in Michigan has enjoined prison officials from incarcerating Joseph Puertas for drug convictions. Puertas obtained the preliminary injunction in a habeas corpus action under 28 U.S.C. § 2241 after state courts arbitrarily denied his request to remain free …
Due Process Violation, Plain Error Reverse Marijuana Conviction by The Michigan Supreme Court reversed a state prisoner's conviction for possession of marijuana after finding that the prosecution had improperly introduced inculpatory statements made by the defendant at an earlier prison disciplinary hearing. Raymond Wyngaard was a prisoner of Michigan's Kinross …
