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

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UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS F[B 8 1991 

ROBERT L. HOECI(B FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT 

JERRY LEE ROACH, 

Plaintiff-Appellant, 

v. 

CAMPBELL COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, 

Defendant-Appellee. 

) 

) 

) 

) 

Clerk R 

) No. 90-8081 

) (D.C. No. Misc. 90-34) 

) ( D. Wyo.) 

) 

) 

ORDER AND JUDGMENT* 

Before McKAY, SEYMOUR, and Ebel, Circuit Judges. 

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel 

has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially 

assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 

34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The case is therefore ordered 

submitted without oral argument. 

Jerry Lee Roach appeals the district court order dismissing 

his civil rights complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. We grant 

Roach's motion to proceed in forma pauperis, and we reverse. 

Roach's civil rights complaint stems from the fact that he 

was denied access to the law library in the Campbell County Jail 

* This order and judgment has no precedential value and shall 

not be cited, or used by any court within the Tenth Circuit, 

except for purposes of establishing the doctrines of the law of 

the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. 10th Cir. R. 

36.3. 

Appellate Case: 90-8081 Document: 010110099892 Date Filed: 02/08/1991 Page: 1 
while incarcerated there. Roach alleges in his complaint that he 

needed access to the library in order to prepare his criminal 

defense, rec., Civil Rights Complaint 90-34 at 3 (and attachment), 

and to research "civil matters", id. at 5 (attachment). 1 Roach's 

complaint also alleges that the Public Defenders Office had 

refused to assist him in obtaining the forms for filing a petition 

for a writ of habeas corpus. Id. at 5. This allegation pointed 

up the fact that while Roach had been appointed counsel to defend 

his criminal case, counsel had not been appointed for the purposes 

of Roach's civil representation. 

It is well established that in order to vindicate an inmate's 

right of access to the courts, the inmate must be entitled to 

either legal materials or access to counsel in filing habeas 

corpus and civil rights action. See Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 

817, 828 (1977); Love v. Summit County, 776 F.2d 908, 912-14 (10th 

Cir. 1985), cert. denied, 479 U.S. 814 (1986); Nordgren v. 

Milliken, 762 F.2d 851, 854 (10th Cir.), cert. denied, 474 U.S. 

1032 (1985). Because Roach alleged in his complaint that he 

required access to the library to complete research on civil 

issues, the district court erred in concluding that Roach had not 

alleged deprivation of meaningful access to the courts. 

1 Roach alleges that he intended to pursue research into civil 

matters arising out of his case by incorporating into his 

complaint a photocopy of a note sent to a prison official 

requesting access to the law library. In reviewing a dismissal of 

plaintiff's complaint, we presume that all of plaintiff's 

allegation are true and construe them in the light most favorable 

to the plaintiff. Morgan v. City of Rawlins, 792 F.2d 975, 978 

(10th Cir. 1986). Moreover, we construe prose pleadings 

liberally and hold them to a less stringent standard than formal 

pleadings drafted by lawyers. Gillihan v. Shillinger, 872 F.2d 

935, 938 (10th Cir. 1989). 

2 

Appellate Case: 90-8081 Document: 010110099892 Date Filed: 02/08/1991 Page: 2 
Accordingly, we REVERSE the district court's dismissal of Roach's 

civil rights complaint. The remaining issues raised by Roach on 

appeal are more appropriately considered by the district court on 

remand. The mandate shall issue forthwith. 

Entered for the Court 

Stephanie K. Seymour 

Circuit Judge 

3 

Appellate Case: 90-8081 Document: 010110099892 Date Filed: 02/08/1991 Page: 3