Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-caed-2_10-cv-01848/USCOURTS-caed-2_10-cv-01848-25/pdf.json

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

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA

ANTHONY R. TURNER,

Plaintiff, No. 2:10-cv-1848 MCE KJN P

vs.

WARDEN SALINAS, et al., 

Defendants. ORDER

 /

Plaintiff is a state prisoner proceeding through counsel. Plaintiff is presently

incarcerated at Salinas Valley State Prison. On October 19, 2012, plaintiff was directed to file a

report on plaintiff’s health status. Plaintiff filed a status report, and defendants filed a response. 

Plaintiff was unable to review plaintiff’s confidential medical or mental health records due to the

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (“HIPAA”), and seeks a court order

allowing such access. Although plaintiff’s counsel was able to glean some information from

plaintiff’s central file, review of the medical records would enable counsel to obtain more

information as to plaintiff’s health status to assist the court in further scheduling. Defendants do

not oppose allowing plaintiff’s counsel’s access to these records.

HIPAA prohibits the wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health

information, defined as information that relates to the physical or mental health or condition of

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an individual, or the provision of health care to an individual, that identifies the individual. 42

U.S.C. § 1320d-6; 45 C.F.R. § 160.103. Under HIPAA, disclosure is permitted, inter alia,

pursuant to a court order, subpoena, or discovery request when the healthcare provider “receives

satisfactory assurance from the party seeking the information that reasonable efforts have been

made by such party to secure a qualified protective order. . . .” 45 C.F.R. § 164.512(e)(1)(ii)(B). 

The protective order must prohibit “using or disclosing the protected health information for any

purpose other than the litigation . . .” and “[r]equire [] the return to the covered entity or

destruction of the protected health information . . . at the end of the litigation or proceeding.” 45

C.F.R. § 164.512(e)(1)(v); see also Crenshaw v. MONY Life Ins. Co., 318 F.Supp.2d 1015, 1029

(S.D. Cal. 2004).

Here, the court orders that plaintiff’s counsel shall be granted access to review,

and to photocopy, plaintiff’s medical and mental health records from the time period of January

1, 2012, through November 30, 2012, in the possession of the California Department of

Corrections and Rehabilitation. Because these records are being reviewed solely for the purpose

of determining plaintiff’s current health status and its impact on the further scheduling of this

case, the court does not grant access to defendants. In keeping with HIPAA, plaintiff’s counsel is

prohibited from using or disclosing plaintiff’s medical and mental health records for any purpose

other than the litigation of this matter. Disclosure is limited to plaintiff’s attorneys and their staff

working in conjunction with this matter, including any photocopy service that plaintiff’s counsel

may employ to obtain these records. At the conclusion of this litigation, plaintiff’s counsel shall

return or destroy such records, including all copies.

Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that:

1. Plaintiff’s counsel and their staff, including a photocopy service, is granted

access to review and photocopy the confidential medical and mental health records for plaintiff

Anthony Turner, Inmate Identification #G-27511, from January 1, 2012, through November 30,

2012, that are in the possession of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation,

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subject to the above protective order;

2. Within forty-five days from the date of this order, plaintiff’s counsel shall file a

written status update as to plaintiff’s condition; and

3. The Clerk of the Court is directed to send a copy of this order to Monica

Anderson, Supervising Deputy Attorney General. 

DATED: December 3, 2012

_____________________________________

KENDALL J. NEWMAN

UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

turn1848.hippa

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