Topic
Every decision we've filed under Civil Rights - PLRA / Prisoner.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court's summary judgment dismissing a prisoner's claim that water quality at a California facility violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. The panel also upheld the denial of motions by counsel to withdraw and the rejection of pro se filings.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court's summary judgment in a prisoner's excessive force claim. The court held that the plaintiff failed to exhaust administrative remedies before filing suit.
The Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court's grant of summary judgment in a prisoner's civil rights action alleging a First Amendment free exercise violation. The court held that the plaintiff failed to provide sufficient evidence that a parole psychologist's refusal to credit faith-based programs as rehabilitation substantially burdened his religious practice.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial of a preliminary injunction sought by a plaintiff under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The panel held that the district court properly applied the legal standard and found the requested accommodation would hinder treatment and fundamentally alter the state hospital's services.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a pro se prisoner for lack of jurisdiction and duplicative litigation. The court found that the appellant had already appealed the primary orders and failed to timely appeal other procedural rulings.
The Tenth Circuit reversed a district court's dismissal of a prisoner's Eighth Amendment claim, holding that the lower court erred by relying on a Martinez Report to resolve factual disputes during the screening stage. The appellate court clarified that while such reports may help identify frivolous claims, they cannot be used to dismiss a complaint for failure to state a claim when the report conflicts with the plaintiff's pleadings.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit dismissed an appeal filed by a pro se prisoner because the notice of appeal was not filed within the required thirty-day window. The court held that timely filing is a jurisdictional requirement that cannot be waived.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a prisoner's lawsuit seeking damages against federal prison officials for alleged constitutional violations. The court held that the plaintiff failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted under the *Bivens* doctrine.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a nonprecedential order denying a petition for a writ of mandamus. The court ruled that the district court had already acted on the petitioner's motions, leaving no further action for the appellate court to compel.
The Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of an inmate's Eighth Amendment claim regarding prison conditions, ruling that the complaint failed to allege personal involvement by the named officials. The court held that the plaintiff did not provide sufficient facts to demonstrate that the defendants were deliberately indifferent to a substantial risk of serious harm.