Case: Alonso-Martinez v. Meissner

1:81-cv-02233 | U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Filed Date: Sept. 15, 1981

Closed Date: 1983

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On September 15, 1981, two Cuban nationals who were confined in at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C., filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They claimed that their applications for asylum had been unreasonably delayed.On October 16, 1981, the District Court (Thomas A. Flannery) denied their petition. The District Court cited the arrival of approximately 125,000 Cubans in Key West, Florida, in mid-1980 ("Freedom Flotill…

On September 15, 1981, two Cuban nationals who were confined in at St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C., filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. They claimed that their applications for asylum had been unreasonably delayed.

On October 16, 1981, the District Court (Thomas A. Flannery) denied their petition. The District Court cited the arrival of approximately 125,000 Cubans in Key West, Florida, in mid-1980 ("Freedom Flotilla arrivals" as placing an extreme strain on the INS. Plaintiffs appealed.

On appeal, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit noted that one of the plaintiffs had been granted parole status and the other was detained in Bureau of Prison facility, under the Department of Justice review plan for "Freedom Flotilla" arrivals. As plaintiffs' circumstances since filing their petition had changed, the Appeals Court determined that their habeas corpus applications were moot. The case was remanded to the District Court with a direction to dismiss plaintiffs' petition Alonso-Martinez v. Meissner, 697 F.2d 1160 (D.C. 1983).

Summary Authors

Miles Chan (8/2/2007)

People


Judge(s)

Bazelon, David L. (District of Columbia)

Ginsburg, Ruth Bader (District of Columbia)

Attorney for Plaintiff
Attorney for Defendant

Harris, Stanley S. (District of Columbia)

Lamberth, Royce C. (District of Columbia)

Lawrence, R. Craig (District of Columbia)

Judge(s)

Bazelon, David L. (District of Columbia)

Ginsburg, Ruth Bader (District of Columbia)

Wilkey, Malcolm Richard (District of Columbia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

81-2234

Opinion

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

Jan. 21, 1983

Jan. 21, 1983

Order/Opinion

697 F.2d 697

Docket

Last updated Jan. 27, 2024, 3:11 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: District of Columbia

Case Type(s):

Immigration and/or the Border

Key Dates

Filing Date: Sept. 15, 1981

Closing Date: 1983

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Two Cuban refugees who sought political asylum

Plaintiff Type(s):

State Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown

Filed Pro Se: Unknown

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Immigration and Naturalization Service, Federal

Case Details

Causes of Action:

Habeas Corpus, 28 U.S.C. §§ 2241-2253; 2254; 2255

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Defendant

Nature of Relief:

None

Source of Relief:

None

Issues

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Habeas Corpus

Immigration/Border:

Asylum - criteria

Asylum - procedure

Detention - procedures

Refugees