Legal
Legal issues in the correctional system encompass various topics, including inmate rights, staff conduct, and compliance with state and federal laws. This directory offers articles and resources on the legal aspects of correctional facility operations, helping staff stay informed about the regulations and policies that govern their work. Understanding legal responsibilities is essential for minimizing liability and ensuring facilities operate within the law. For more information, explore our section on Corrections Policies.
The officers were acquitted of criminal charges but failed to follow the DOCCS policy requiring intervention during excessive force
David Kingsley was found guilty of murder and manslaughter, while two other officers were acquitted in the death of inmate Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility
James Sabatino, imprisoned at ADX Florence for running a luxury goods scam from his cell, argues the DOJ is misusing security measures to silence him
The decision found officials didn’t act with deliberate indifference to inmates’ medical needs and prioritizing the sickest patients for treatment was reasonable
The jail failed to inform the center of its decision not to deliver the mail, thus denying it a chance to appeal what the lawsuit describes as “censorship”
An official said no decisions have been made yet on which and how many prisons will face closure
Superior Court Judge Lisa Bell said she didn’t anticipate an immediate ruling, but expected one by early September
The judge agreed to a request from lawyers of inmates who filed a lawsuit over conditions to allow a medical expert to conduct an inspection of the facility
The bill was introduced after prison officials closed the witness viewing curtain for 14 minutes during a 2018 execution
The court cited the “heft of the security interest at stake” in holding the proper standard for a body cavity search in a jail is reasonable suspicion
During the executions last month, the obstructed roads forced demonstrators to gather nearly 2 miles from the prison
Zachary T. Latham’s troubling behavior has resumed since his pre-trial release from jail
The lawsuit alleges the state and prison officials left Debra Johnson’s home unsafe by failing to monitor her front door with cameras or use other security measures
The order will restore the rights to an estimated 40,000 people who have completed prison sentences, probation and parole
The federal lawsuit filed by ACLU of Indiana lawyers on behalf of the activists seeks an injunction permitting protesters to gather just outside prison gates
Attorneys want all inmates and staff tested, medically vulnerable inmates released, staff to wear PPE and people exposed to COVID-19 quarantined
A female CO claims policies were ignored that resulted in her being injured and traumatized when she was assaulted and overpowered by four male inmates
Jamie Berg filed a lawsuit after she was fired in January 2018, claiming she faced discrimination for being a single mother
The prison must rank inmates by their health risks and identify candidates for early release
Under the ruling, the state must come up with a plan to vacate at least 100 beds in each prison across California in the next month
For years, inmates have advocated lowering rates that run as high as $25 for a 15-minute call
Lawyers said prison officials haven’t provided inmates hand sanitizer, sufficient testing, contact tracing or social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled “the steps the Oakland County Jail had taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were reasonable”
The incident drew attention to poor conditions at the Jackson County Detention Center, sparking conversations about building a new facility
Officials said Virgil Carter was under orders to always lock his office door and keep his radio with him at all times
The priest claims BOP is putting him at risk for contracting the coronavirus by moving forward with executions
The Manhattan jurist has allowed inmates to proceed with a lawsuit in their quest to improve conditions at the facility
Jordan Brown, who was 11 at the time, was charged in the shooting death of a 26-year-old pregnant mother of two
Judges rejected an appeal filed by prosecutors seeking to revoke the pre-trial release of Zachary Latham, who was charged in the stabbing death of William Durham Sr.
Under the terms of the settlement, the county will transition its three juvenile facilities from a corrections model to a treatment model
House Bill 81 provides workers’ comp coverage of post-exposure medical diagnosis services for a CO’s exposure to an inmate’s blood or bodily fluids
The lawsuit is one of several long-running cases by inmate advocates complaining of substandard healthcare and mistreatment of vulnerable populations
Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr took no position on Toforest Johnson’s innocence or guilt but said there are concerns about his trial
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