Case: Lindquist v. Idaho State Board of Corrections

1:78-cv-01021 | U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho

Filed Date: Jan. 12, 1978

Closed Date: March 5, 1996

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

Inmates at the Idaho State Correctional Institution filed a class action law suit on January 12, 1978 in the United States District Court for the District of Idaho under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging that the prison denied inmates of their constitutional right to meaningful access to the courts. In particular, the plaintiffs asserted that the prison failed to provide access to an adequate library and sufficient legal assistance, and that it failed to make available necessary resources and supplies…

Inmates at the Idaho State Correctional Institution filed a class action law suit on January 12, 1978 in the United States District Court for the District of Idaho under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging that the prison denied inmates of their constitutional right to meaningful access to the courts. In particular, the plaintiffs asserted that the prison failed to provide access to an adequate library and sufficient legal assistance, and that it failed to make available necessary resources and supplies such as working typewriters and paper. The inmates, represented by Idaho Legal Aid Services, sought injunctive and declaratory relief on behalf of all present and future inmates at the institution.

On June 8, 1981, the District Court (Judge Ray McNichols) held that the prison law library did not meet minimum constitutional standards and issued an order giving the prison six months to make requisite changes to bring the library up to constitutional standards. Following this order, the prison moved the library to a more spacious location, provided new tables and chairs to accommodate up to forty inmates, developed a training program for inmate law clerks to assist fellow inmates with legal research and writing (especially those uneducated, illiterate, or not proficient in English), and provided a constitutionally sufficient inventory of law books that was previously approved by the district court.

At a compliance hearing on October 26, 1982, the district court found that the prison substantially complied with the June 8, 1981, order, and dismissed the action. Plaintiffs appealed the district court's refusal to issue a permanent injunction. On November 15, 1985, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (Judge John Wallace) denied the inmates' appeal stating the district court's decision not to issue a permanent injunction was not abuse of discretion since there was no threat that the prison would revert to unconstitutional practices. Lindquist v. Idaho State Bd. Of Corrections, 776 F.2d 851 (9th Cir. 1985). Subsequently, the court (Magistrate Judge Larry M. Boyle) modified the original 1981 order in part. The docket continues until March 5, 1996 when the stipulation for voluntary dismissal was granted.

Summary Authors

Emilee Baker (5/15/2006)

People


Judge(s)

Boyle, Larry M. (Idaho)

Farris, Joseph Jerome (Washington)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Belodoff, Howard A. (Idaho)

Attorney for Defendant

Gates, Robert R. (Idaho)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

Hall, John R. (Colorado)

Judge(s)

Boyle, Larry M. (Idaho)

Farris, Joseph Jerome (Washington)

Wallace, John Clifford (California)

Attorney for Plaintiff
Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

show all people

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:78-cv-01021

Docket (PACER)

March 5, 1996

March 5, 1996

Docket

84-04253

Reported Opinion

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Nov. 15, 1985

Nov. 15, 1985

Order/Opinion

776 F.2d 776

Docket

Last updated March 24, 2024, 3:09 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link

REMARK, all previous docketing is on the hard docket (wm) (Entered: 12/09/1993)

Aug. 13, 1993

Aug. 13, 1993

209

MOTION by dfts to modify the courts order of 6/8/81 (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Aug. 13, 1993

Aug. 13, 1993

210

MEMORANDUM by dft in support of their motion to modify the courts order of 6/8/81 [209-1] (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Aug. 13, 1993

Aug. 13, 1993

211

ORDER OF REFERENCE by Honorable Edward J. Lodge Case referred to Magistrate Larry M. Boyle for all pretrial matters (cc: all counsel) (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Aug. 17, 1993

Aug. 17, 1993

212

MOTION by plas to extend time of 60 days to file a response to dfts motion to modify (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Sept. 7, 1993

Sept. 7, 1993

213

AFFIDAVIT of Howard A. Belodoff regarding motion to extend time of 60 days to file a response to dfts motion to modify [212-1] (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Sept. 7, 1993

Sept. 7, 1993

214

ORDER by Magistrate Larry M. Boyle granting plas motion to extend time of 60 days to file a response to dfts motion to modify [212-1] motion to modify the courts order of 6/8/81 [209-1] ; Response to motion ddl extended to 12/7/93 (cc: all counsel) (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Sept. 7, 1993

Sept. 7, 1993

216

RESPONSE by plas to dfts objection to order granting extension of time to respond [215-1] (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Oct. 1, 1993

Oct. 1, 1993

217

MEMORANDUM by plas in opposition to dfts motion to modify the courts order of 6/8/81 [209-1] (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Nov. 8, 1993

Nov. 8, 1993

218

REPLY by dfts to plas memorandum in opposition to dfts motion to modify the courts order of 6/8/81 [209-1] (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Nov. 18, 1993

Nov. 18, 1993

219

MINUTES OF STATUS CONFERENCE - discussion on vacating Gomez case on 12/6/93 and hearing Lindquist first, or waiting for the 9th circuit to rule on the Coranett case, discussion on consent to Magistrate and consolidating Gomez and Lindquist (LMB) (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Nov. 23, 1993

Nov. 23, 1993

220

NOTICE OF TELEPHONE STATUS CONFERENCE ; Telephonic Status Conference set for 2:00pm on 12/6/93 before LMB in Boise (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Nov. 29, 1993

Nov. 29, 1993

221

CONSENT TO PROCEED BEFORE U.S. MAGISTRATE (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Dec. 2, 1993

Dec. 2, 1993

222

AMENDED NOTICE OF TELEPHONE STATUS CONFERENCE ; Telephonic Status Conference set for 12/6/93 has been reset for 10:00am on 12/7/93 before LMB in Boise (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Dec. 2, 1993

Dec. 2, 1993

223

MINUTES OF STATUS CONFERENCE - hearing on dfts motion to modify the courts order of 6/8/81 [209-1] set for 10:00am on 12/21/93 ; Discovery ddl set for 3/18/94 ; Motion Filing ddl 5/2/94 ; Trial set for 6/7/94 at 9:30am ; Teleconf held 12/7/93 parties to submit stipulation by 12/17/93 stating this court may take Judicial notice as to the pleadings in the Gomez case for the court to reach its decision regarding dfts motion to modify (LMB) (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Dec. 7, 1993

Dec. 7, 1993

224

STATUS CONFERENCE ORDER AND ORDER SETTING COURT TRIAL by Magistrate Larry M. Boyle ; Non-Jury Trial set for 6/7/94 at 9:30am ; Discovery ddl set for 3/18/94 ; Dispositive Motion ddl set for 4/22/94 hearing on dfts motion to modify the courts order of 6/8/81 [209- 1] set for 10:00am on 12/21/93 (cc: all counsel) (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Dec. 7, 1993

Dec. 7, 1993

225

ORDER OF REASSIGNMENT TO MAGISTRATE by Honorable Edward J. Lodge reassigning case to Magistrate Larry M. Boyle (cc: all counsel) (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Dec. 8, 1993

Dec. 8, 1993

226

STIPULATION for the court to take judicial notice of the entire file in Gomez # 91-299-S-LMB (wm) (Entered: 12/13/1993)

Dec. 9, 1993

Dec. 9, 1993

Debbie Shields confirmed reservation of I.S.M.I.crtroom L.C. this date via phone conversation. (lc)

Dec. 13, 1993

Dec. 13, 1993

228

SUPPLEMENTAL MEMORANDUM by plaintiffs to further respond to Court's inquiry at the oral argument re: plas' past position with regard to workable legal access plan (jl) (Entered: 01/04/1994)

Jan. 3, 1994

Jan. 3, 1994

229

NOTICE OF HEARING ; Telephone Status Conference set for 11:30 a.m. on 2/22/94 before LMB in Boise (cc: all counsel) (jl) (Entered: 01/26/1994)

Jan. 25, 1994

Jan. 25, 1994

230

ORDER by Magistrate Larry M. Boyle granting in part motion to modify the courts order of 6/8/81 [209-1] to the extent the procedural requirements of Rule 60(b) are satisfied (cc: all counsel) (jl) (Entered: 01/26/1994)

Jan. 25, 1994

Jan. 25, 1994

231

NOTICE OF HEARING Telephone status conference reset for March 17, 1994 at 11:30 a.m. before LMB Boise (cc: all counsel) (jl)

Feb. 4, 1994

Feb. 4, 1994

232

MINUTES OF STATUS CONFERENCE ; Status hearing held March 17, 1994 ; Case Mgmt ddl set for April 8, 1994 for dfts. to file final detailed plan LMB (jl) (Entered: 03/18/1994)

March 17, 1994

March 17, 1994

233

NOTICE by defendants of proposed access to Courts plan (jl) (Entered: 04/12/1994)

April 8, 1994

April 8, 1994

LODGED: dfts' response to interrogatories and request for production of documents (jl) (Entered: 04/12/1994)

April 8, 1994

April 8, 1994

234

RESPONSE by plaintiff re: notice [233-1] (jl) (Entered: 04/27/1994)

April 26, 1994

April 26, 1994

235

NOTICE OF HEARING ; Status Hrg set for 11:30 5/16/94 before LMB in Boise (cc: all counsel) (wm) (Entered: 05/18/1994)

May 9, 1994

May 9, 1994

236

ORAL MOTION by pla to vacate trial set for 6/7/94 (wm) (Entered: 05/19/1994)

May 16, 1994

May 16, 1994

236

MINUTES OF STATUS CONFERENCE - granting motion to vacate trial set for 6/7/94 [236-1] ; Trial set for 6/7/94 has been vacated , pretrial conf held (LMB) (wm) (Entered: 05/19/1994)

May 16, 1994

May 16, 1994

237

ORDER by Magistrate Larry M. Boyle granting oral motion to vacate trial set for 6/7/94 [236-1] administratively terminating case without prejudice to the right of the parties to reopen the proceedings for good cause (cc: all counsel) (wm) (Entered: 05/19/1994)

May 17, 1994

May 17, 1994

238

NOTICE OF HEARING ; Teleconf set for 2/22/96 at 2:30pm before LMB in Boise (cc: all counsel) (wm) (Entered: 02/07/1996)

Feb. 5, 1996

Feb. 5, 1996

239

AMENDED NOTICE OF HEARING ; Status Hrg set for 2:30 2/22/96 by telephone has been changed to a live hearing before LMB in Boise (cc: all counsel) (wm) (Entered: 02/16/1996)

Feb. 13, 1996

Feb. 13, 1996

241

STIPULATION for voluntary dismissal (wm) (Entered: 03/01/1996)

Feb. 29, 1996

Feb. 29, 1996

242

ORDER by Magistrate Larry M. Boyle granting stipulation for voluntary dismissal [241-1] dismissing case (cc: all counsel) (wm) (Entered: 03/06/1996)

March 5, 1996

March 5, 1996

Case Details

State / Territory: Idaho

Case Type(s):

Prison Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: Jan. 12, 1978

Closing Date: March 5, 1996

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Inmates at the Idaho State Correctional Institution

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Idaho State Board of Corrections, State

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Due Process: Procedural Due Process

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Litigation

Order Duration: 1981 - 1982

Issues

General:

Access to lawyers or judicial system

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Law library access

Type of Facility:

Government-run