Filed Date: Nov. 10, 1983
Clearinghouse coding complete
In 1983, inmates of the Maximum Security Unit at the Delaware Correctional Center filed suit, pro se, in the District of Delaware against prison officials. According to a state court case, Mister Africa X v. Castle, 1994 WL 274128 (Del. Ch.), and a Third Circuit case, Abdul-Akbar v. Watson, 4 F.3d 195 (3d Cir. 1993), the District Court entered a consent decree in Hearn that required prison officials to provide inmates in the Maximum Security Unit access to law library facilities similar to those available to the general population as limited by funding. Some of the conditions included making available to the Maximum Security Unit, all of the treatises, forms, and rules accessible to the general population. It also provided a part-time paralegal for the maximum security inmates. On December 31, 1985, the consent decree was approved and entered by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Murray Schwartz.
Apparently, in 1993, while the earlier decree was still operative, several inmates in the same unit of the same prison filed separate suits, pro se, in the Delaware Chancery Court seeking enforcement of the Hearn decree. Mr. Africa X v. Castle.
No docket is available and this is all the information we have.
Summary Authors
John Maksymonko (7/22/2005)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4792770/parties/hearn-v-redman/
Cowen, Arnold Wilson (District of Columbia)
Garth, Leonard I. (New Jersey)
Bartley, Brian J. (Delaware)
Drowos, Stuart B. (Delaware)
Hoffman, Sherry (District of Columbia)
Cowen, Arnold Wilson (District of Columbia)
Garth, Leonard I. (New Jersey)
Kiger, Richard C. (Delaware)
Scirica, Anthony Joseph (Pennsylvania)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4792770/hearn-v-redman/
Last updated March 27, 2024, 3:12 a.m.
State / Territory: Delaware
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Nov. 10, 1983
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Prisoner challenging constitutional adequacy of legal services provided to inmates in maximum security unit
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown
Filed Pro Se: Yes
Class Action Sought: Unknown
Class Action Outcome: Unknown
Defendants
Delaware Correctional Center (Smyrna), State
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Due Process: Procedural Due Process
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Order Duration: 1993 - None
Issues
General:
Access to lawyers or judicial system
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Type of Facility: