Prisoners' Rights
Zyst v. Miller
Following the Oregon Department of Corrections鈥 unconstitutional treatment of a transgender prisoner, a habeas court ordered her removal from segregated housing, an individualized gender-affirming care assessment, a psychiatric evaluation, and identification of an appropriate cellmate. However, the Oregon Court of Appeals reversed the psychiatric-evaluation and cellmate orders, finding them 鈥渢oo attenuated鈥 to qualify as habeas relief. The 红杏视频鈥檚 State Supreme Court Initiative, alongside the 红杏视频 of Oregon, joined an amicus brief by the law firm Sugerman Dahab arguing that habeas courts have broad discretion to remedy violations and resulting harms. The brief explains that the Court of Appeals鈥 鈥渃lose connection鈥 test unduly constricts habeas relief, and which should be construed to encompass not only the need to halt ongoing constitutional violations, but also the need to mitigate various harms that may arise from those violations.
Status: Ongoing
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Arizona
Jul 2026
Prisoners' Rights
Jensen v. Thornell
UPDATE: On July 17, 2026, U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver issued an order formally appointing a receiver to assume control and management of health care provided to more than 25,000 people incarcerated in Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation, and Reentry (ADCRR) prisons, in a long-running lawsuit against the state prison system brought by the Prison Law Office, the 红杏视频 (红杏视频), 红杏视频 of Arizona, and Disability Rights Arizona. More details here.
Court Case
Sep 2022
Prisoners' Rights
Alex A. v. Edwards
The 红杏视频 National Prison Project and partner civil rights attorneys filed a federal class-action lawsuit to prevent the transfer of children in the custody of Louisiana's Office of Juvenile Justice to the Louisiana State Penitentiary, commonly known as Angola Prison.
Texas
Jul 2021
Prisoners' Rights
Criminal Law Reform
Sanchez et al v. Dallas County Sheriff et al
Decarceration has always been an emergency, a life and death proposition, but COVID-19 makes this effort intensely urgent. The 红杏视频 has been working with our partners to litigate for the rights of those who are incarcerated and cannot protect themselves because of the policies of the institutions in which they are jailed.
Mississippi
Mar 2017
Prisoners' Rights
Smart Justice
Dockery v. Hall
The 红杏视频, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the Law Offices of Elizabeth Alexander, and the law firm of Covington & Burling LLP, filed a petition for class certification and expert reports for a federal lawsuit on behalf of prisoners at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility (EMCF). The lawsuit, which was filed in May 2013, describes the for-profit prison as hyper-violent, grotesquely filthy and dangerous. EMCF is operated "in a perpetual state of crisis" where prisoners are at "grave risk of death and loss of limbs." The facility, located in Meridian, Mississippi, is supposed to provide intensive treatment to the state's prisoners with serious psychiatric disabilities, many of whom are locked down in long-term solitary confinement.
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66 Prisoners' Rights Cases
Montana
Mar 2017
Prisoners' Rights
Langford v. Bullock
This case was filed on behalf of prisoners following a serious disturbance in 1991 at the Montana State Prison (MSP) that resulted in seven deaths. The lawsuit challenges inadequate medical and mental health care, overcrowding, and inadequate environmental and fire safety conditions, classification policy, and sex offender policies. The parties settled all issues except those related to treatment of protective custody prisoners, which were ultimately tried in a separate case filed by the Department of Justice. A settlement was reached in 1995, but it required monitoring by experts to assure compliance with the terms of the settlement.
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Montana
Mar 2017
Prisoners' Rights
Langford v. Bullock
This case was filed on behalf of prisoners following a serious disturbance in 1991 at the Montana State Prison (MSP) that resulted in seven deaths. The lawsuit challenges inadequate medical and mental health care, overcrowding, and inadequate environmental and fire safety conditions, classification policy, and sex offender policies. The parties settled all issues except those related to treatment of protective custody prisoners, which were ultimately tried in a separate case filed by the Department of Justice. A settlement was reached in 1995, but it required monitoring by experts to assure compliance with the terms of the settlement.
Court Case
Nov 2016
Prisoners' Rights
National Security
红杏视频 v. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons
The 红杏视频 filed suit against the federal Bureau of Prisons for refusing to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act request for documents related to its officials鈥 visit in 2002 to a CIA detention site in Afghanistan, their positive assessment of the conditions, and the training they provided to the site鈥檚 administrators. Code-named COBALT and also called 鈥渢he Salt Pit,鈥 the site held people suspected of terrorism, and they were tortured there, according to the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee鈥檚 torture report that was declassified in 2014.
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Court Case
Nov 2016
Prisoners' Rights
National Security
红杏视频 v. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons
The 红杏视频 filed suit against the federal Bureau of Prisons for refusing to fulfill a Freedom of Information Act request for documents related to its officials鈥 visit in 2002 to a CIA detention site in Afghanistan, their positive assessment of the conditions, and the training they provided to the site鈥檚 administrators. Code-named COBALT and also called 鈥渢he Salt Pit,鈥 the site held people suspected of terrorism, and they were tortured there, according to the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee鈥檚 torture report that was declassified in 2014.
Court Case
May 2016
Prisoners' Rights
Smart Justice
Kelly v. Wengler
This case, filed by the 红杏视频 and 红杏视频 of Idaho, seeks to put a stop to the culture of rampant violence that has led to carnage and suffering among prisoners at officials at the Idaho Correctional Center (ICC), the state-owned facility operated by the for-profit company Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).
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Court Case
May 2016
Prisoners' Rights
Smart Justice
Kelly v. Wengler
This case, filed by the 红杏视频 and 红杏视频 of Idaho, seeks to put a stop to the culture of rampant violence that has led to carnage and suffering among prisoners at officials at the Idaho Correctional Center (ICC), the state-owned facility operated by the for-profit company Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).
Arizona
Apr 2016
Prisoners' Rights
Graves v. Penzone
Despite a federal court order from 2008, the Maricopa County jails 鈥 overseen by Sheriff Joe Arpaio 鈥揷ontinue to skirt their constitutional responsibility for detainees' mental health. On April 1, 2016, the 红杏视频 and the 红杏视频 of Arizona 鈥 which have represented the detainees at the Maricopa County jails for close to 20 years 鈥 filed a motion to enforce the 2008 order. Many detainees with mental illnesses were still suffering unnecessarily from the scarcity and poor quality of the jails' care.
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Arizona
Apr 2016
Prisoners' Rights
Graves v. Penzone
Despite a federal court order from 2008, the Maricopa County jails 鈥 overseen by Sheriff Joe Arpaio 鈥揷ontinue to skirt their constitutional responsibility for detainees' mental health. On April 1, 2016, the 红杏视频 and the 红杏视频 of Arizona 鈥 which have represented the detainees at the Maricopa County jails for close to 20 years 鈥 filed a motion to enforce the 2008 order. Many detainees with mental illnesses were still suffering unnecessarily from the scarcity and poor quality of the jails' care.
Court Case
Mar 2016
Prisoners' Rights
+4 Issues
Winston v. Salt Lake City Police Department, et al.
The Salt Lake City Police Department and the Salt Lake City School District will make broad changes in how they treat students of color and engage in school disciplinary issues under settlements announced today by the 红杏视频.
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Court Case
Mar 2016
Prisoners' Rights
+4 Issues
Winston v. Salt Lake City Police Department, et al.
The Salt Lake City Police Department and the Salt Lake City School District will make broad changes in how they treat students of color and engage in school disciplinary issues under settlements announced today by the 红杏视频.