Case: Hearn v. Redman

1:83-cv-00794 | U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware

Filed Date: Nov. 10, 1983

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

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 tho…

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)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4792770/parties/hearn-v-redman/


Judge(s)

Cowen, Arnold Wilson (District of Columbia)

Garth, Leonard I. (New Jersey)

Attorney for Defendant

Bartley, Brian J. (Delaware)

Drowos, Stuart B. (Delaware)

Hoffman, Sherry (District of Columbia)

Judge(s)

Cowen, Arnold Wilson (District of Columbia)

Garth, Leonard I. (New Jersey)

Kiger, Richard C. (Delaware)

Scirica, Anthony Joseph (Pennsylvania)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

92-07571

92-07572

Opinion of the Court

Abdul-Akbar v. Watson

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Aug. 11, 1993

Aug. 11, 1993

Order/Opinion

4 F.3d 4

1164

1171

1172

12466

12547

12618

12891

12928

12975

Master's Report

Mr. Africa X v. Governor Castle

Delaware state trial court

March 9, 1994

March 9, 1994

Order/Opinion

1994 WL 1994

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4792770/hearn-v-redman/

Last updated March 27, 2024, 3:12 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
58

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER denying 56 MOTION for Permanent Injunction filed by James Arthur Biggins, ***Civil Case Terminated. Signed by Judge Sue L. Robinson on 8/27/2009. (lid)

Aug. 31, 2009

Aug. 31, 2009

RECAP

Case Details

State / Territory: Delaware

Case Type(s):

Prison Conditions

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):

Private Plaintiff

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:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Due Process: Procedural Due Process

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

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:

Law library access

Type of Facility:

Government-run