Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-1_20-cv-01050/USCOURTS-caed-1_20-cv-01050-6/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 42:1983 Prisoner Civil Rights

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

JEFFREY WALKER,

Plaintiff,

v.

MINA BESHARA, ET. AL.,

Defendants.

Case No. 1:20-CV-1050-NONE-HBK (PC)

ORDER DENYING MOTION TO RECUSE

(Doc. No. 25)

ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION

FOR HOSPITAL TO PROVIDE ENVELOPES 

(Doc. No. 28)

ORDER DIRECTING CLERK TO PROVIDE 

THIS ORDER TO LITIGATION 

COORDINATOR AT COALINGA STATE 

HOSPITAL 

ORDER DIRECTING OFFICIAL AT 

COALINGA TO CONFIRM WHETHER 

PLAINTIFF IS CIVILLY DETAINED OR A 

PRISONER

Pending before the Court is Plaintiff’s motion requesting the Court to direct officials at 

Coalinga State Hospital to provide him with envelopes for mailing legal mail to the Court filed 

June 9, 2021 (Doc. No. 28). Plaintiff claims an official is refusing to provide him with envelopes 

for “urgent deadline mailing” in “retaliation” for him filing a lawsuit against staff friends. (Doc. 

No. 28). The First Amendment to the United States Constitution protects individuals’ access to 

Case 1:20-cv-01050-JLT-HBK Document 32 Filed 08/23/21 Page 1 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

2

the courts. See Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817, 821 (1977); Lewis v. Casey, 518 U.S. 343 (1996). 

Plaintiff has a constitutionally protected right of access to courts guaranteed by the Fourteenth 

Amendment. Bounds, 430 U.S. at 821. Implicit within this right of access to courts is the right to 

have access to adequate law libraries or legal assistance from trained individuals. Id. at 828 

(emphasis added) (footnote omitted). Precedent “does not dictate a minimum number of hours or 

any other requirement for satisfying the right of access” to them. Witkin v. Swarthout, 2013 WL 

6054451, at *2 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 15, 2013). A limitation on an inmate’s access to copy machines is 

“ordinary” and permissible as long as some access is allowed. Ramirez v. Yates, 571 F.3d 993, 

998 (9th Cir. 2009). Because there is no established minimum requirement for satisfying the 

access requirement; “a reviewing court should focus on whether the individual plaintiff before it 

has been denied meaningful access.” Sands v. Lewis, 886 F.2d 1166, 1169 (9th Cir. 1989) 

(internal quotations omitted). Here, a review of the docket shows Plaintiff has not been denied 

meaningful access to the court. Nor is Plaintiff under any current court-ordered deadlines as of 

the date on this order. 

Plaintiff represents to the Court that he is a patient at Coalinga State Hospital and as a 

result appears to be civilly detained, as opposed to criminally confined. For clarification 

purposes, the Court requests an official at Coalinga State Hospital to provide notice to the Court 

within fourteen (14) days from receipt of this Order confirming Plaintiff’s status: mainly whether 

Plaintiff is civilly confined or whether he is criminally confined. 

Accordingly, it is ORDERED:

1. Plaintiff’s construed motion for the undersigned to recuse herself (Doc. 25) is 

DENIED. 

2. Plaintiff’s motion requesting the Court direct officials at Coalinga State Hospital to 

provide him with envelopes for mailing legal mail (Doc. No. 28) is DENIED.

3. The Clerk of Court shall provide a copy of this order to the litigation coordinator at

Coalinga State Hospital and confirm same on the docket. 

4. Within fourteen (14) days from receipt of this Order, an official from Coaling State 

Hospital shall file a Notice advising the Court as to Plaintiff’s status, whether he is criminally 

Case 1:20-cv-01050-JLT-HBK Document 32 Filed 08/23/21 Page 2 of 3
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

3

confined or civilly detained at the institution. 

Dated: August 20, 2021 

HELENA M. BARCH-KUCHTA

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Case 1:20-cv-01050-JLT-HBK Document 32 Filed 08/23/21 Page 3 of 3