Part II

Constitutional Law of Corrections

Chapter 6 – Access to Courts

Introduction: Chapter looks at how inmates get into court to get their complaints heard Amendments do not specifically

provide this right Yet, the courts, and most importantly,

the Supreme Court, have found that inmates do have a right of access to the courts

Chapter Outline Opening the Gates Ex parte Hull Johnson v. Avery Shaw v. Murphy Bounds v. Smith Lewis v. Casey Murray v. Giarratano Wolff and Martinez Frivolous Complaints and Frequent Filers

Opening the Gates

As noted earlier, until the 1960s, courts generally had a “hands-off” attitude towards prisons and inmate complaints

Pre-1960: Ex parte Hull (1941) Michigan regulation required prison

official to review inmate legal documents before inmate could send to court

U.S. Supreme Court (Court) struck down regulation – this is a leading decision for the principle that prison officials can’t screen, censor, or interfere with an inmate’s submissions to courts

Johnson v. Avery (1969) Leading part of the abandonment of the

“hands off” philosophy Prison regulation barred one inmate

from assisting another in preparing legal documents

Inmate was disciplined for violating this regulation Such inmate assistance is commonly

known as “jailhouse lawyering”

Johnson v. Avery : cont’d

Court noted, like in Hull, that inmates were to have access to courts to present complaints Case based constitutionally on

provision protecting the writ of habeas corpus (Article 1, Section 9)

Johnson v. Avery : cont’d

Court held unless State provided reasonable alternatives to help inmates prepare petitions for post-conviction relief, prison could not enforce regulation barring inmates from assisting other inmates

Shaw v. Murphy (2001)

Prison regulation barred inmates in separate housing locations from assisting one another Inmate law clerk charged with, and found to

have violated, prison regulation, including interference with due process hearings

Inmate sued, in part claiming violation of first amendment rights, including the right to provide other inmates with legal assistance

Shaw v. Murphy: cont’d

Court held that inmates do not have such a special 1st Amendment right Cited Turner v. Safley (1987) standard –

restrictions on inmate’s constitutional rights are allowed if reasonably related to legitimate penological objectives

Inmate not able to show prison regulations were unrelated to such objectives

Bounds v. Smith (1977)

Expanded Johnson v. Avery constitutional protections

Bounds – issue was whether States must protect inmates’ right of access to courts by providing law libraries or alternative sources of legal information

Bounds v. Smith: cont’d

In Bounds, lower court had found state did not provide assistance for inmates to prepare their petitions to the courts

District court required state to come up with a plan to ensure access to the courts

State responded with a plan to provide seven libraries in facilities around the state

Inmates objected to the plan, saying it did not go far enough

Bounds v. Smith: cont’d

District court approved the state plan, and held the state did not have to provide legal assistance in addition to the libraries

Appeals court affirmed district court, with one amendment to the state’s plan – that female inmates were to have access rights to library facilities similar to the men’s

Bounds v. Smith: cont’d

Supreme Court held that the “fundamental constitutional right of access to the courts requires prison authorities to assist inmates [in filing ‘meaningful’ legal papers] by providing prisoners with adequate law libraries or adequate assistance from persons trained in the law”

Bounds v. Smith: cont’d

Law libraries not constitutionally required

Provided there is alternative means of adequate legal assistance

Court left decision of means to States

Bounds v. Smith: cont’d

Bounds seen as holding that access to courts is guaranteed for habeas corpus and also for civil rights (constitutional) complaints (Section 1983) In practice, no distinction made in most prisons

on inmate legal actions, even if not one of the above

Basis – improper for prison officials to scrutinize an inmate’s legal work or to interfere with an inmate’s legal mailings

Most prisons today have law library access

Lewis v. Casey (1996)

In Casey, the lower federal courts held that the Arizona Department of Corrections wasn’t meeting Bounds standards - said the Department was providing inadequate assistance

Supreme Court criticized lower courts for not deferring to the judgment of the prison officials regarding the type of law library and other legal assistance offered

Lewis v. Casey: cont’d

Court held lower court ruling on type of relief too broad based on limited number of inmate complaints Court said record indicated only two

inmates were shown to have been injured (by not getting their legal matters drafted or filed)

Court held only limited relief to address specific violations should have occurred, not a system-wide corrective plan

Lewis v. Casey: cont’d Court, in Casey, limited the

guidelines of Bounds In Casey, Court held inmates’ rights to

court access encompass Direct appeals from their convictions Habeas corpus actions, and Section 1983 lawsuits

Court held the required assistance was that needed for initial preparation and filing, not for later litigating steps

Lewis v. Casey: cont’d

Supreme Court did not overrule Bounds, just limited it

Court also emphasized the message of deference to prison authorities

Murray v. Giarratano (1989)

Counsel need not be provided to inmates in collateral attacks on their sentences, even in death penalty cases

Wolff (1974) and Martinez (1974)

Cases deal with attorney-client (inmate) contacts

Must be a balance between Government’s need for proper oversight

of inmate activities, including legal ones, for the security and the orderly running of the institution, and

The needs of the attorney and inmate to have adequately and specially protected opportunities for communications (phone, visits, and mail)

Wolff and Martinez: cont’d

Wolff primarily prison discipline case, but one part of decision governed inspection of attorney mail sent to inmates Nebraska regulation provided for

inmate legal mail to be opened (not read) and inspected for contraband

Had to occur in the presence of the inmate

Wolff and Martinez : cont’d

Court held attorney mail required more protection than ordinary mail

When mail is identified on the envelope as attorney mail, the Court approved the mail being opened and inspected (not read) in presence of the inmate

Serves prison security concerns Protects confidentiality of mail contents

Wolff and Martinez : cont’d

Martinez primarily dealt with inmate mail restrictions, but also addressed attorney visits

The issue was whether it was permissible for California to restrict attorney visiting privileges to members of the bar and licensed private investigators

Wolff and Martinez : cont’d

Lower court ruled that the regulation was an “unjustifiable restriction on the right of access to the courts”

Supreme Court agreed but recognized that any requested practice must be weighed against legitimate penal interests

Wolff and Martinez : cont’d

As a result, today prisons allow paralegals and law students, as well as other professional assistants, to have legal visits in the same manner as attorneys

Attorney must identify the person who is to have the visit, and the attorney is responsible for supervising the work (and professional behavior) of the assistant

Frivolous Complaints and Frequent Filers

Inmates clearly have right of access to courts, but what about inmates who abuse

Recent legislative actions (for example, the PLRA) and court interpretations have led to procedures to prevent such abuse Inmates pay filing fees Dismissal by court of frivolous claims “Three strikes” provisions