Statutory Forfeiture of Prison Cash Upheld by The court of appeals for the Fifth circuit upheld the confiscation of $2,197.40 in cash from a Florida prisoner. Court held that a state statute allowing forfeiture of cash found in prisoners' possession was unconstitutional. As a general rule, forfeiture of prisoner funds …
Transferred Prisoners Entitled to Sending States Good Time Credits and Benefits by The court of appeals for the Eighth circuit held that an Arkansas prisoner transferred to Florida under the Interstate Corrections Compact was entitled to all good time credits and other benefits he would have received had he remained …
12 Years in Segregation May Violate 8th Amendment by The court of appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that a Florida prisoner had stated a valid Eighth amendment claim that he had spent the past twelve years in total isolation without a hearing. Case was brought as a habeas corpus …
Prisoners Have Right to Marry by The court of appeals for the Eleventh circuit held that factual issues precluding summary judgment existed in a Florida prisoners lawsuit to marry a woman. Florida administrative rules barred prisoners sentenced to death, life in prison and other factors from marrying. Court found the …
Punishment for Prisoner with Medical Reason not to Shave States Claim by The court of appeals for the Fifth circuit held that the district court erred when it dismissed as frivolous a Florida prisoner's suit that he was punished by prison officials for having a beard. Prisoner claimed he had …
State Liable for Attorney Fees in Beating Suit by The court of appeals for the Eleventh circuit affirmed $1,500 in compensatory and $25,000 in punitive damages awarded to a Florida prisoner who was beaten and kicked by prison guard interrogators. District court refused to award attorney fees under 42 U.S.C. …
Denial of Continuance on Summary Judgment Proper, Summary Judgment Improper by The U.S. Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that a Florida federal district court's denial of a Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) prisoner's motion to stay consideration of DOC defendants' motion for summary judgment was not abuse of discretion. …
Dismissed Medical Claims Reversed by Federal Tenth Circuit by The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a Kansas Federal District Court's dismissal of a state prisoner's 42 U.S.C. §1983 complaint. Donald Halpin is a Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) prisoner transferred from the Florida Department of Corrections under the …
$3500 Punitive Damage Award Upheld for Dropping Shackled Prisoner by The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that record evidence supported a jury verdict that two Florida state prison guards violated a prisoner's Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment rights by using excessive force, that the guards were not …
Sworn Beating Complaint Defeats Summary Judgment by The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit held that a Florida state prisoner's sworn complaint was sufficient to defeat a motion for summary judgment filed by the defendant prison guards because the complaint "alleged detailed facts" that conflicted with the guards' …
Ad-Seg for Eleven Months Without Review States Due Process Claim by The Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversing a Florida U.S. District Court,, held that a prisoner held in Administrative Segregation (Ad-Seg) for eleven months without any review of his close management (CM) status, stated a claim for relief. …
Florida DOC Clamps Down on Prisoner Writers by David Reutter by David M. Reutter In an effort to limit prisoners' free speech rights, the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) has taken steps to prohibit prisoners from engaging in a business or profession. For some years now, the FDOC has had …
Florida Good Time Law Applied by Florida's First District Court of Appeals held that the Correctional Reform Act of 1983 (The Act) does not allow the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) to grant additional days of gain-time as a matter of grace of forfeit the right to gain-time earned prior …
Intermediate State Appellate Court Ruling Fails to Override Qualified Immunity Defense in Over-Detention Suit by The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that a ruling from the Florida First District Court of Appeals (DCA) falls short of the clarity of the law to defeat a defense of qualified immunity. A …
Florida Jail Detainee Entitled to Clean Cell, Medical Diet by A Florida Federal District Court held a pretrial detainee at the Monroe County Jail stated claims for unconstitutional conditions and medical treatment in his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 action. The matter was before the court after the magistrate judge recommended …
Miscalculation of Sentence Defeats Summary Judgment by A Florida Federal District Court held that prison officials may be held liable for miscalculating a prisoner's release date and causing him to be detained beyond his sentence expiration. Former prisoner James S. McCurry brought suit under 42 U.S.C. section 1983 seeking monetary …
Negligence Claim Stated in Florida Jail Prisoner's Suicide by The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeal has upheld a Florida district court's grant of judgment as a matter of law on a claim of deliberate indifference to medical needs and a state tort claim of negligent supervision, training, and management in …
Guard's Liability for Florida Prisoner's Suicide Jury Question by By David M. Reutter A Florida Appeals Court held that a jury, not a judge, must determine if a guard at the Pinellas County Jail (PCJ) is entitled to sovereign immunity and qualified immunity. This case was before the court on …
FL Prisoner's Petition Deemed Filed When Given to Prison Officials by Florida's First District Court of Appeal held that a prisoner's petition for a writ of mandamus was timely filed under the "mailbox rule." The circuit court dismissed as untimely the underlying petition challenging disciplinary sanctions, which must be filed …
Florida Jail Liable in Medical Neglect Death by PHS by Carol Ancata, personal representative of Anthony Ancata, deceased, and natural guardian of Tara Ancata, filed a lawsuit against Prison Health Services, Inc. (PHS), the Broward County Jail and the Sheriff of Broward County (defendants) for violating Anthony Ancata's Fourteenth and …
