Featured opinions – Incarceration and the Law

Incarceration and the Law

CASES AND MATERIALS

Featured Opinions

PART I: CONDITIONS OF CONFINEMENT

Chapter 1. Prison, Jail, and Prisoners’ Rights: An Introduction

Ruffin v. Commonwealth, 62 Va. 790 (1871)
Cooper v. Pate, 378 U.S. 546 (1964) (per curiam)
Cooper v. Pate, 324 F.2d 165 (7th Cir. 1963)

Chapter 2. Conditions of Confinement

Bell v. Wolfish, 441 U.S. 520 (1979)
Castro v. County of Los Angeles, 833 F.3d 1060 (9th Cir. 2016) (en banc)
City of Revere v. Mass. Gen. Hosp., 463 U.S. 239 (1983)
Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97 (1976)
Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825 (1994)
Helling v. McKinney, 509 U.S. 25 (1993)
Hope v. Pelzer, 536 U.S. 730 (2002)
Hudson v. McMillian, 503 U.S. 1 (1992)
Hutto v. Finney, 437 U.S. 678 (1978)
Ingraham v. Wright, 430 U.S. 651 (1977)
Jackson v. Bishop, 404 F.2d 571 (8th Cir. 1968)
Kingsley v. Hendrickson, 576 U.S. 389 (2015)
Lombardo v. City of St. Louis, 38 F.4th 684 (8th Cir. 2022)
Peralta v. Dillard, 744 F.3d 1076 (9th Cir. 2014) (en banc)
Rasho v. Jeffries, 22 F.4th 703 (7th Cir. 2022)
Plata v. Newsom, Nos. 21–16696, 21–16816, 2022 WL 1210694 (9th Cir. 2022)
Rhodes v. Chapman, 452 U.S. 337 (1981)
Valentine v. Collier, 140 S.Ct. 1598 (2020)
Whitley v. Albers, 475 U.S. 312 (1986)
Wilkins v. Gaddy, 559 U.S. 34 (2010)
Wilson v. Seiter, 501 U.S. 294 (1991)
Wilson v. Williams, 961 F.3d 829 (6th Cir. 2020)

Chapter 3. Solitary Confinement

Crane v. Utah Dep’t of Corr., 15 F.4th 1296 (10th Cir. 2021)
Davis v. Ayala, 576 U.S. 257 (2015)
Gates v. Collier, 349 F. Supp. 881 (N.D. Miss. 1972), aff’d, 501 F.2d 1291 (5th Cir. 1974)
Johnson v. Prentice, 144 S.Ct. 11 (2023) (denying cert)
Jordan v. Fitzharris, 257 F. Supp. 674, 683 (N.D. Cal. 1966)
In re Medley, 134 U.S. 160 (1890)
Porter v. Clarke, 923 F.3d 348 (4th Cir. 2019), as amended

Chapter 4. Programming, Work, Reentry

Laaman v. Helgemoe, 437 F.Supp. 269 (D. N.H. 1977)
- Litigation summary and documents
Vanskike v. Peters, 974 F.2d 806 (7th Cir. 1992)

Chapter 5. Sexual Abuse

Crawford v. Cuomo, 796 F.3d 252 (2d Cir. 2015)
Graham v. Sheriff of Logan County, 741 F.3d 1118 (10th Cir. 2013)
Jacoby v. PREA Coordinator, No. 5:17-cv-00053-MHH-TMP, 2017 WL 2962858 (N.D. Ala. Apr. 4, 2017), Report and recommendation adopted, 2017 WL 2957825 (N.D. Ala. Jul. 11, 2017)
Johnson v. Phelan, 69 F.3d 144 (7th Cir. 1995)
Jordan v. Gardner, 986 F.2d 1521 (9th Cir. 1993) (en banc)
Timm v. Gunter, 917 F.2d 1093 (8th Cir. 1990)

PART II: CIVIL LIBERTIES

Chapter 6. Freedom of Expression & Religion

Ackerman v. Washington, 16 F.4th 170 (6th Cir. 2021)
Beard v. Banks, 548 U.S. 521 (2006)
Faver v. Clarke, 24 F.4th 954 (4th Cir. 2022)
Holt v. Hobbs, 574 U.S. 352 (2015)
Jones v. North Carolina Prisoners’ Labor Union, Inc., 433 U.S. 119 (1977)
O’Lone v. Shabazz, 482 U.S. 342 (1987)
Overton v. Bazzetta, 539 U.S. 126 (2003)
Prison Legal News v. Cook, 238 F.3d 1145 (9th Cir. 2001)
Procunier v. Martinez, 416 U.S. 396 (1974)
Ramirez v. Collier, 595 U.S. 411 (2022)
Singer v. Raemisch, 593 F.3d 529 (7th Cir. 2010)
Sossamon v. Texas, 563 U.S. 277 (2011)
Tanzin v. Tanvir, 592 U.S. 43 (2020)
Thornburgh v. Abbott, 490 U.S. 401 (1989)
Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78 (1987)

Chapter 7. Access to the Courts

Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817 (1977)
Ex parte Hull, 312 U.S. 546 (1941)
Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343 (1996)
Johnson v. Avery, 393 U.S. 483 (1969)
Procunier v. Martinez, 416 U.S. 396 (1974)
Shaw v. Murphy, 532 U.S. 223 (2001)
Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539 (1974)

Chapter 8. Procedural Due Process

Daniels v. Williams, 474 U.S. 327, 328 (1986)
Davidson v. Cannon, 474 U.S. 344, 348 (1986)
Gagnon v. Scarpelli, 411 U.S. 778 (1973)
Hewitt v. Helms, 459 U.S. 460 (1983)
Meachum v. Fano, 427 U.S. 215 (1976)
Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U.S. 471 (1972)
Olim v. Wakinekona, 461 U.S. 238 (1983)
Parratt v. Taylor, 451 U.S. 527 (1981)
Sandin v. Conner, 515 U.S. 472 (1995)
Superintendent, Mass. Correctional Institution at Walpole v. Hill, 472 U.S. 445 (1985)
Vitek v. Jones, 445 U.S. 480 (1980)
Wilkinson v. Austin, 545 U.S. 209 (2005)
Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539 (1974)

Chapter 9. Searches

Bell v. Wolfish, 441 U.S. 520, 563 (1979)
Crawford v. Cuomo, 709 F.3d 252 (2015)
Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders, 566 U.S. 318 (2012)
Hudson v. Palmer, 468 U.S. 517 (1984)
Swain v. Spinney, 117 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 1997)

PART III: PARTICULAR PRISONER POPULATIONS

Chapter 10. Race and National Origin Discrimination

Johnson v. California, 543 U.S. 499 (2005)
Lee v. Washington, 390 U.S. 333 (1968)
Mitchell v. Cate, 2:08–cv–01196–TLN–EFB (Jun. 2, 2016)
Richardson v. Runnels, 594 F.3d 666 (9th Cir. 2010)
Washington v. Lee, 263 F.Supp. 327 (M.D. Ala. 1966)

Chapter 11. Women Prisoners

Nelson v. Correctional Medical Services, 583 F.3d 522 (8th Cir. 2009)
Roe v. Crawford, 514 F.3d 789 (8th Cir. 2008)
Southerland v. Thigpen, 784 F.2d 713 (5th Cir. 1986)
Women Prisoners of D.C. Dept. of Corrections v. District of Columbia, 93 F. 3d 910 (D.C. Cir. 1996)

Chapter 12. LGBTQ Prisoners

Beal v. Foster, 803 F.3d 356 (7th Cir. 2015)
Davis v. Prison Health Service, 679 F.3d 433 (6th Cir. 2012)
Doe v. McHenry, 763 F. Supp. 3d 81 (D.D.C. 2025)
Edmo v. Corizon, Inc., 935 F.3d 757 (9th Cir. 2019)
Gibson v. Collier, 920 F.3d 212 (5th Cir. 2019)
Hampton v. Baldwin, No. 3:18-cv-550-NJR-RJD, 2018 WL 5830730 (S.D. Ill. 2018)
Johnson v. Johnson, 385 F.3d 503 (5th Cir. 2004)
Keohane v. Fla. Department of Corrections, 952 F.3d 1257 (11th Cir. 2020)
Monroe v. Baldwin, 424 F.Supp.3d 526 (S.D. Ill. Dec. 19, 2019)

Chapter 13. Disability

Andrews v. Rauner, No. 3:18-cv-1101, 2018 WL 3748401 (C.D. Ill. Aug. 6, 2018)
McBride v. Michigan Department of Corrections, 294 F.Supp.3d 695 (E.D. Mich. 2018)
Nottingham v. Richardson, 499 Fed. Appx. 368, 377 (5th Cir. 2012)
Purcell v. Pa. Dep’t of Corr., No. 3:00–cv–00181–LPL, 2006 WL 891449 (W.D. Pa. Mar. 31, 2006)
Scherer v. Pa. Dep’t of Corr., No. 3:04–cv–00191–KRG, 2007 WL 4111412 (W.D. Pa. Nov. 16, 2007)
Tellis v. LeBlanc, 18-cv-541, 2022 WL 22861739 (W.D. La. Nov. 1, 2022)
United States v. Georgia, 546 U.S. 151 (2006)
Wagoner v. Lemmon, 778 F.3d 586, 593 (7th Cir. 2015)
Williams v. Sec’y Pennsylvania Dep’t of Corr., 117 F.4th 503 (3d Cir. 2024)

PART IV: LITIGATION AND REMEDIES

Chapter 14. Injunctive Litigation

Badgley v. Santacroce, 800 F.2d 33 (2d Cir. 1986)
Brown v. Plata, 563 U.S. 493 (2011)
Edwards v. Balisok, 520 U.S. 641 (1997)
Georgia Advocacy Office v. Jackson, 4 F.4th 1200 (11th Cir. 2021)
Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477 (1994)
Hutto v. Finney, 437 U.S. 678 (1978)
Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343 (1996)
Miller v. French, 530 U.S. 327 (2000)
Muhammad v. Close, 540 U.S. 749 (2004)
Preiser v. Rodriguez, 411 U.S. 475 (1973)
Rufo v. Inmates of Suffolk County Jail, 502 U.S. 367 (1992)
Valentine v. Collier, 140 S.Ct. 1598 (2020)
Wilkinson v. Dotson, 544 U.S. 74 (2005)
Wilson v. Williams, 961 F.3d 829 (6th Cir. 2020)

Chapter 15. Damages: Causes of Action and Defenses

Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662 (2009)
Bivens v. Six Unknown Fed. Narcotics Agents, 403 U.S. 388 (1971)
Cohen v. United States, 151 F.3d 1338 (11th Cir. 1998)
Cope v. Cogdill, 3 F.4th 198 (5th Cir. 2021)
Corrections Services Corp. v. Malesko, 534 U.S. 61 (2001)
Edwards v. Balisok, 520 U.S. 641 (1997)
Goldey v. Fields, 606 U.S. 942 (2025) (per curiam)
Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477 (1994)
Hope v. Pelzer, 536 U.S. 730 (2002)
Millbrook v. United States, 569 U.S. 50 (2013)
Smith v. Wade, 461 U.S. 30 (1983)
Taylor v. Riojas, 592 U.S. 7 (2020) (per curiam)
United States v. Muniz, 374 U.S. 150 (1963)
United States v. Olson, 546 U.S. 43 (2005)
Wade v. United States, 13 F.4th 1217 (11th Cir. 2021)
Ziglar v. Abbasi, 137 S.Ct 1843 (2017)

Chapter 16. The Litigation Process

Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662 (2009)
Booth v. Churner, 532 U.S. 731 (2001)
Haines v. Kerner, 404 U.S. 519 (1972)
Jones v. Bock, 549 U.S. 199 (2007)
Lomax v. Ortiz-Marquez, 140 S.Ct. 1721 (2020)
Perttu v. Richards, 605 U.S. 460 (2025)
Porter v. Nussle, 534 U.S. 516 (2002)
Ramirez v. Collier, 595 U.S. 411 (2022)
Reed-Bey v. Pramstaller, 603 F.3d 322 (6th Cir. 2010)
Rivera v. Allin, 144 F.3d 719 (11th Cir. 1998)
Ross v. Blake, 578 U.S. 632 (2016)
Ross v. Bock, No. 16–cv–8672 (2017)
Woodford v. Ngo, 548 U.S. 81 (2006)
Valentine v. Collier, 978 F.3d 154 (5th Cir. 2020)

Chapter 17. Private Prisons and Prison Contractors

Richardson v. McKnight, 521 U.S. 399 (1997)
West v. Atkins, 487 U.S. 42 (1988)

Chapter 18. Criminal Prosecution of Prison/Jail Staff

Screws v. United States, 325 U.S. 91 (1945)
United States v. Hickman, 766 Fed. Appx. 240 (6th Cir. 2019)

Chapter 19. State Constitutional Law

North Carolina v. Tirado, 911 S.E.2d 51 (N.C. 2025)
Sterling v. Cupp, 625 P.2d 123 (Or. 1981)
Lawson v. Cain, 524 P.3d 529 (Or. App. 2023)

Chapter 20. Accountability: Voting, Standards, and Oversight

Jones v. Governor of Florida, 975 F.3d 1016 (11th Cir. 2020) (en banc)