FI L ED

U.S. COURT OF APPEAL S

EL EVENTH CI RCUI T

SEP 02, 2011

J OHN L EY

CL ERK [ P U B L I S H ]

I N T H E U N I T E D S T A T E S C O U R T O F A P P E A L S

F O R T H E E L E V E N T H C I R C U I T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

N o

. 0 9

- 1 0 3 4 9

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

D

. C

. D o c k e t N o

. 0 8

- 0 0 1 5 2

- C V

- W L S

- 1

R A N D A L L B I N G H A M

,

P l a i n t i f f

- A p p e l l a n t

,

v e r s u s

D A R L E N E T H O M A S

, O f f i c e r

,

P A U L A I S O M

, O f

f i c e r

,

M A R T Y A L L E N

,

D / W o f S e c u r i t y

, C H R I S T O P H E R R A I L E Y

,

D / W o f C a r e a n d T r e a t m e n t

,

J I M R I G S B Y

,

D / W o f A d m i n i s t r a t i o n

, e t a l

. ,

D e f e n d a n t s

- A p p e l l e e s

.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A p p e a l f r o m t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s D i s t r i c t C o u r t

f o r t h e M i d d l e D i s t r i c t o f G e o r g i a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

( S e p t e m b e r 2

, 2 0 1 1 )B e f

o r e H U L L a n d F A Y

, C i r c u i t J u d g e s

, a n d V I N S O N

, D i s t r i c t J u d g e

. *

P E R C U R I A M :

R a n d a l l B i n g h a m

, a G e o r g i a s t a t e p r i s o n e r p r o c e e d i n g p r o s e

, a p p e a l s t h e

d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s s u a s p o n t e d i s m i s s a l

, u n d e r 4 2 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 9 7 e ( a ) a n d 2 8 U

. S

. C

.

§ 1 9 1 5 A

, o f h i s 4 2 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 8 3 c i v i l r i g h t s a c t i o n

. O n a p p e a l

, B i n g h a m a r g u e s

t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t e r r e d i n d i s m i s s i n g t h e f o l l o w i n g c l a i m s : ( 1 ) t h a t t h e

d e f e n d a n t s

, 1 3 G e o r g i a D e p a r t m e n t o f C o r r e c t i o n s o f f i c i a l s a t A u t r y S t a t e P r i s o n i n

P e l h a m

, G e o r g i a

, d e l i b e r a t e l y i g n o r e d h i s r e q u e s t s f o r d e n t a l t r e a t m e n t a n d l e f t h i m

i n s e r i o u s p a i n c o n s t i t u t i n g c r u e l a n d u n u s u a l p u n i s h m e n t ; ( 2 ) t h a t t h e p r i s o n n u r s e

,

L a q u e t i a F o w l e r

, d e n i e d h i m p r e s c r i b e d a s p i r i n ; ( 3 ) t h a t h e w a s d e n i e d a p r i s o n

r u l e b o o k

, w h i c h v i o l a t e d h i s r i g h t t o u n d e r s t a n d t h e g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e s ; ( 4 ) t h a t

t h e p r i s o n h a d i n a d e q u a t e g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e s ; a n d ( 5 ) t h a t p r i s o n g u a r d s o p e n e d

h i s c e l l t o a l l o w i n m a t e s t o s t e a l h i s p r o p e r t y

. A f t e r c a r e f u l r e v i e w

, w e a f

f i r m i n 1

Honora ble C. Roge r Vinson, United States District Judge f or the Nor

thern District of *

Florida , sitti ng by

desig nation.

I n his complaint, Bing ham also alleg ed the f ollowing c laims: (1) Off

icer Paula I som 1

ref used to allow him to attend a follow- up appointment, althoug h another office r allowe d him to

visit t he medica l unit later that same da y ; (2) the pr ison librarian de nied him acc ess to the

prison’s rules a

nd reg ulations and ref

used to notarize his aff

idavit statements; (3) he w as in

“imminent dang er” of bec oming illiterate from g uards a sking him how to spell words, be coming

a drug addict fr om drug s sold in prison, and “ca tching canc er” from inmates using illega l cell

phones; (4) he was for ced to stand f or “c ount,” a pr ocess in which pr ison officials count the

inmates and this denied him prope r sleep; ( 5) the de fenda nts caused homose x ual ac tivity by

taking awa

y Play boy Mag azines from inmates and not pr osecuting inmates who ra ped other

inmates; and (6) Serg eant Mia Palmer place d his life at risk by

telling inmates w ho robbed him

that he wa s g iving state ments ag ainst them. We will not discuss these cla ims further be cause

2p a r t a n d v a c a t e a n d r e m a n d i n p a r t

.

W e r e v i e w d e n o v o a d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n a n d a p p l i c a t i o n o f 4 2

U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 9 7 e ( a ) ’ s e x h a u s t i o n r e q u i r e m e n t

. J o h n s o n v

. M e a d o w s

, 4 1 8 F

. 3 d 1 1 5 2

,

1 1 5 5 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 5 )

. W e r e v i e w t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s f a c t u a l f i n d i n g s f o r c l e a r

e r r o r

. C h a n d l e r v

. C r o s b y

, 3 7 9 F

. 3 d 1 2 7 8

, 1 2 8 8 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 4 )

. W e r e v i e w a

d i s t r i c t c o u r t ’ s s u a s p o n t e d i s m i s s a l o f a c o m p l a i n t b a s e d o n f r i v o l i t y

, u n d e r 2 8

U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 A

, f

o r a b u s e o f d i s c r e t i o n

. M i l l e r v

. D o n a l d

, 5 4 1 F

. 3 d 1 0 9 1

, 1 1 0 0

( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 8 )

. A d i s t r i c t c o u r t m a y d i s m i s s s u a s p o n t e a c o m p l a i n t i f i t i s

“ f r i v o l o u s

, m a l i c i o u s

, o r f a i l s t o s t a t e a c l a i m u p o n w h i c h r e l i e f m a y b e g r a n t e d

. ”

2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 A ( b ) ( 1 )

. A c l a i m i s f r i v o l o u s “ i f i t l a c k s a n a r g u a b l e b a s i s e i t h e r

i n l a w o r i n f

a c t

. ” M i l l e r

, 5 4 1 F

. 3 d a t 1 1 0 0 ( q u o t a t i o n s o m i t t e d )

.

P r e v i o u s l y

, w e h a v e h e l d t h a t w e a c c e p t a l l e g a t i o n s i n a c o m p l a i n t a s t r u e

a n d c o n s t r u e t h e m i n t h e l i g h t m o s t f a v o r a b l e t o t h e p l a i n t i f f

. W h i t e v

. L e m a c k s

,

1 8 3 F

. 3 d 1 2 5 3

, 1 2 5 5 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 9 )

. I n B e l l A t l

. C o r p

. v

. T w o m b l y

, 5 5 0 U

. S

.

5 4 4

, 5 5 5 ( 2 0 0 7 )

, t h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h e l d t h a t

, i n o r d e r t o s u r v i v e a m o t i o n t o

d i s m i s s

, t h e c o m p l a i n t m u s t c o n t a i n f a c t u a l a l l e g a t i o n s s u f

f i c i e n t t o “ r a i s e a r i g h t t o

r e l i e f a b o v e t h e s p e c u l a t i v e l e v e l

, ” o n t h e a s s u m p t i o n t h a t a l l t h e a l l e g a t i o n s i n t h e

c o m p l a i n t a r e t r u e

. “ P r o s e p l e a d i n g s a r e h e l d t o a l e s s s t r i n g e n t s t a n d a r d t h a n

Bing ham has not ra ised them on appe al, and ther efor e, has a bandoned the m. See Horsley v.

Fe ldt, 304 F.3d 1125, 1131 n.1 (11th Cir. 2002).

3p l e a d i n g s d r a f t e d b y a t t o r n e y s ” a n d a r e l i b e r a l l y c o n s t r u e d

. T a n n e n b a u m v

. U n i t e d

S t a t e s

, 1 4 8 F

. 3 d 1 2 6 2

, 1 2 6 3 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 8 )

.

P r o c e d u r a l l y

, t h e P r i s o n L i t i g a t i o n R e f o r m A c t ( “ P L R A ” ) p r o v i d e s : “ N o

a c t i o n s h a l l b e b r o u g h t w i t h r e s p e c t t o p r i s o n c o n d i t i o n s u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 9 8 3

. . . b y

a p r i s o n e r

. . . u n t i l s u c h a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e m e d i e s a s a r e a v a i l a b l e a r e e x h a u s t e d

. ”

4 2 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 9 7 e ( a )

. T h i s e x h a u s t i o n r e q u i r e m e n t “ a p p l i e s t o a l l i n m a t e s u i t s

a b o u t p r i s o n l i f

e

, w h e t h e r t h e y i n v o l v e g e n e r a l c i r c u m s t a n c e s o r p a r t i c u l a r

e p i s o d e s

, a n d w h e t h e r t h e y a l l e g e e x c e s s i v e f o r c e o r s o m e o t h e r w r o n g

. ” P o r t e r v

.

N u s s l e

, 5 3 4 U

. S

. 5 1 6

, 5 3 2 ( 2 0 0 2 )

. “ A n i n m a t e i n c a r c e r a t e d i n a s t a t e p r i s o n

, t h u s

,

m u s t f i r s t c o m p l y w i t h t h e g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e s e s t a b l i s h e d b y t h e s t a t e

d e p a r t m e n t o f c o r r e c t i o n s b e f o r e f i l i n g a f e d e r a l l a w s u i t u n d e r s e c t i o n 1 9 8 3

. ”

M i l l e r v

. T a n n e r

, 1 9 6 F

. 3 d 1 1 9 0

, 1 1 9 3 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 9 )

.

T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s h e l d t h a t t h e “ f a i l u r e t o e x h a u s t i s a n a f f i r m a t i v e

d e f e n s e u n d e r t h e P L R A

, a n d t h a t i n m a t e s a r e n o t r e q u i r e d t o s p e c i a l l y p l e a d o r

d e m o n s t r a t e e x h a u s t i o n i n t h e i r c o m p l a i n t s

. ” J o n e s v

. B o c k

, 5 4 9 U

. S

. 1 9 9

, 2 1 6

( 2 0 0 7 )

. A c o m p l a i n t m a y b e d i s m i s s e d i f a n a f f i r m a t i v e d e f

e n s e

, s u c h a s f

a i l u r e t o

e x h a u s t

, a p p e a r s o n t h e f a c e o f t h e c o m p l a i n t

. S e e i d

. a t 2 1 5

. O t h e r w i s e

,

e x h a u s t i o n a n d o t h e r a f f i r m a t i v e d e f

e n s e s m u s t b e r a i s e d i n a r e s p o n s i v e p l e a d i n g

.

S e e i d

. a t 2 1 1

- 1 4

.

4S u b s t a n t i v e l y

, “ [ t ] o p r e v a i l o n a c l a i m u n d e r § 1 9 8 3

, a p l a i n t i f f m u s t

d e m o n s t r a t e b o t h ( 1 ) t h a t t h e d e f e n d a n t d e p r i v e d [ h i m ] o f a r i g h t s e c u r e d u n d e r t h e

C o n s t i t u t i o n o r f

e d e r a l l a w a n d ( 2 ) t h a t s u c h a d e p r i v a t i o n o c c u r r e d u n d e r c o l o r o f

s t a t e l a w

. ” A r r i n g t o n v

. C o b b C o u n t y

, 1 3 9 F

. 3 d 8 6 5

, 8 7 2 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 8 )

. T h e

E i g h t h A m e n d m e n t o f t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s C o n s t i t u t i o n f o r b i d s “ c r u e l a n d u n u s u a l

p u n i s h m e n t s

. ” U

. S

. C o n s t

. a m e n d

. V I I I

. T h e E i g h t h A m e n d m e n t i s a p p l i c a b l e t o

t h e s t a t e s t h r o u g h t h e F o u r t e e n t h A m e n d m e n t

. C h a n d l e r

, 3 7 9 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 8 8 n

. 2 0

.

T h e S u p r e m e C o u r t h a s i n t e r p r e t e d t h e E i g h t h A m e n d m e n t t o i n c l u d e “ d e l i b e r a t e

i n d i f f e r e n c e t o s e r i o u s m e d i c a l n e e d s o f p r i s o n e r s

. ” E s t e l l e v

. G a m b l e

, 4 2 9 U

. S

.

9 7

, 1 0 4 ( 1 9 7 6 )

. E v e r y c l a i m b y a p r i s o n e r t h a t h e d i d n o t r e c e i v e m e d i c a l

t r e a t m e n t

, h o w e v e r

, i s n o t a v i o l a t i o n o f t h e E i g h t h A m e n d m e n t

. I d

. a t 1 0 5

.

T o p r e v a i l o n a c l a i m o f i n a d e q u a t e m e d i c a l t r e a t m e n t

, a p r i s o n e r m u s t

s a t i s f y a n o b j e c t i v e a n d a s u b

j e c t i v e r e q u i r e m e n t

. T a y l o r v

. A d a m s

, 2 2 1 F

. 3 d

1 2 5 4

, 1 2 5 8 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 0 )

. T h e p l a i n t i f f m u s t s h o w a n “ o b

j e c t i v e l y s e r i o u s

d e p r i v a t i o n ” o f m e d i c a l c a r e b y d e m o n s t r a t i n g ( 1 ) “ a n o b j e c t i v e l y s e r i o u s m e d i c a l

n e e d

. . . t h a t

, i f l e f

t u n a t t e n d e d

, p o s e s a s u b s t a n t i a l r i s k o f s e r i o u s h a r m

, ” a n d

( 2 ) t h a t t h e p r i s o n o f

f i c i a l ’ s r e s p o n s e “ t o t h a t n e e d w a s p o o r e n o u g h t o c o n s t i t u t e

a n u n n e c e s s a r y a n d w a n t o n i n f l i c t i o n o f p a i n

, a n d n o t m e r e l y a c c i d e n t a l

i n a d e q u a c y

, n e g l i g e n c e i n d i a g n o s i s o r t r e a t m e n t

, o r e v e n m e d i c a l m a l p r a c t i c e

5a c t i o n a b l e u n d e r s t a t e l a w

. ” I d

. ( q u o t a t i o n s

, b r a c k e t s

, a n d c i t a t i o n s o m i t t e d )

. A

s e r i o u s m e d i c a l n e e d i s “ o n e t h a t h a s b e e n d i a g n o s e d b y a p h y s i c i a n a s m a n d a t i n g

t r e a t m e n t o r o n e t h a t i s s o o b v i o u s t h a t e v e n a l a y p e r s o n w o u l d e a s i l y r e c o g n i z e

t h e n e c e s s i t y f

o r a d o c t o r ’ s a t t e n t i o n

. ” F a r r o w v

. W e s t

, 3 2 0 F

. 3 d 1 2 3 5

, 1 2 4 3 ( 1 1 t h

C i r

. 2 0 0 3 ) ( q u o t a t i o n s o m i t t e d )

.

A p r i s o n e r m u s t a l s o s h o w a p r i s o n o f f i c i a l ’ s s u b

j e c t i v e i n t e n t t o p u n i s h b y

d e m o n s t r a t i n g t h a t t h e o f f i c i a l a c t e d w i t h d e l i b e r a t e i n d i f f e r e n c e

. T a y l o r

, 2 2 1 F

. 3 d

a t 1 2 5 8

. T o s a t i s f

y t h i s r e q u i r e m e n t

, a p r i s o n e r m u s t s h o w t h e p r i s o n o f f i c i a l ’ s :

“ ( 1 ) s u b j e c t i v e k n o w l e d g e o f a r i s k o f s e r i o u s h a r m ; ( 2 ) d i s r e g a r d o f t h a t r i s k ; a n d

( 3 ) b y c o n d u c t t h a t i s m o r e t h a n m e r e n e g l i g e n c e

. ” B r o w n v

. J o h n s o n

, 3 8 7 F

. 3 d

1 3 4 4

, 1 3 5 1 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 4 )

. C o n d u c t t h a t i s m o r e t h a n m e r e n e g l i g e n c e i n c l u d e s :

( 1 ) g r o s s l y i n a d e q u a t e c a r e ; ( 2 ) a d e c i s i o n t o t a k e a n e a s i e r b u t l e s s e f f i c a c i o u s

c o u r s e o f t r e a t m e n t ; a n d ( 3 ) m e d i c a l c a r e t h a t i s s o c u r s o r y a s t o a m o u n t t o n o

t r e a t m e n t a t a l l

. I d

. A “ c o m p l a i n t t h a t a p h y s i c i a n h a s b e e n n e g l i g e n t i n

d i a g n o s i n g o r t r e a t i n g a m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n d o e s n o t s t a t e a v a l i d c l a i m o f m e d i c a l

m i s t r e a t m e n t u n d e r t h e E i g h t h A m e n d m e n t

. ” E s t e l l e

, 4 2 9 U

. S

. a t 1 0 6

.

A c o m p l e t e d e n i a l o f r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e t r e a t m e n t f o r a s e r i o u s m e d i c a l

c o n d i t i o n c o n s t i t u t e s d e l i b e r a t e i n d i f f e r e n c e

. H a r r i s v

. C o w e t a C o u n t y

, 2 1 F

. 3 d

3 8 8

, 3 9 3 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 4 )

. L i k e w i s e

, a d e f e n d a n t w h o d e l a y s n e c e s s a r y t r e a t m e n t

6f

o r n o n

- m e d i c a l r e a s o n s m a y e x h i b i t d e l i b e r a t e i n d i f f e r e n c e

. H i l l v

. D e k a l b R e g ’ l

Y o u t h D e t

. C t r

. , 4 0 F

. 3 d 1 1 7 6

, 1 1 8 7 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 4 )

, a b r o g a t e d o n o t h e r g r o u n d s

b y H o p e v

. P e l z e r

, 5 3 6 U

. S

. 7 3 0 ( 2 0 0 2 )

. A n E i g h t h A m e n d m e n t v i o l a t i o n m a y

a l s o o c c u r w h e n s t a t e o f f i c i a l s k n o w i n g l y i n t e r f

e r e w i t h a p h y s i c i a n ’ s p r e s c r i b e d

c o u r s e o f t r e a t m e n t

. Y o u n g v

. C i t y o f A u g u s t a

, G a

. , 5 9 F

. 3 d 1 1 6 0

, 1 1 6 9 n

. 1 7 ( 1 1 t h

C i r

. 1 9 9 5 )

.

F i r s t

, w e a g r e e w i t h B i n g h a m

— a n d t h e s t a t e c o n c e d e s

— t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t

c o u r t e r r e d i n d i s m i s s i n g w i t h o u t p r e j u d i c e B i n g h a m ’ s d e n t a l t r e a t m e n t c l a i m

,

u n d e r 4 2 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 9 7 e ( a )

, o n t h e b a s i s t h a t i t w a s “ c l e a r f r o m t h e f

a c e o f t h e

c o m p l a i n t ” t h a t B i n g h a m h a d n o t e x h a u s t e d h i s a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e m e d i e s w i t h

r e g a r d t o t h i s c l a i m

. I n t h e c o m p l a i n t

, B i n g h a m a l l e g e d t h a t h e h a d f i l e d s e v e r a l

g r i e v a n c e s w i t h p r i s o n o f f i c i a l s a n d s e n t a p p e a l s t o A t l a n t a

. I n l i g h t o f t h e s e

a l l e g a t i o n s

, w e d o n o t t h i n k i t i s c l e a r w h e t h e r B i n g h a m i n f a c t e x h a u s t e d h i s

a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e m e d i e s

, a n d v a c a t e a n d r e m a n d f o r t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t t o c o n d u c t

f u r t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s w i t h r e s p e c t t o t h i s c l a i m

, i n c l u d i n g a n a s s e s s m e n t o f t h e

s u f f i c i e n c y o f t h e c l a i m i t s e l f

. 2

I n his supplemental brief, B ingha m arg ues that the district cour t erre d beca

use he a lleg ed 2

that the administrative re medies we re una vailable a nd, even if

the re medies we re a

vailable, this

Court should hold t hat B ingha m’s substantial compliance w ith the administrative reme dies

satisfied the PL RA’s exhaustion requirement. The se ar g uments are proper ly addre ssed to the

district court on re mand.

7H o w e v e r

, w e f i n d n o m e r i t i n B i n g h a m ’ s r e m a i n i n g c l a i m s

. T h e d i s t r i c t

c o u r t d i d n o t a b u s e i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n d i s m i s s i n g B i n g h a m ’ s d e n i a l o f p r e s c r i b e d

a s p i r i n c l a i m a s f

r i v o l o u s

, u n d e r 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 A

, o n t h e b a s i s t h a t B i n g h a m

f a i l e d t o s t a t e a m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n o r p l e a d a n i n j u r y f r o m b e i n g d e n i e d t h e a s p i r i n

.

T h e a l l e g a t i o n s i n t h e c o m p l a i n t s u r r o u n d i n g t h i s c l a i m f a i l t o s p e c i f

y h i s p a i n o r

m e d i c a l c o n d i t i o n

, p l e a d a n y i n j u r y

, o r e x p l a i n t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s s u r r o u n d i n g t h e

d e n i a l o f t h e a s p i r i n b y N u r s e F o w l e r

. A c c o r d i n g l y

, B i n g h a m f a i l e d t o a l l e g e t h e

s o r t o f m e d i c a l n e e d n e c e s s a r y t o e s t a b l i s h a c l a i m o f c r u e l a n d u n u s u a l

p u n i s h m e n t

, a n d t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d n o t a b u s e i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n d i s m i s s i n g t h i s

c l a i m

. S e e T a y l o r v

. S i n g l e t a r y

, 1 4 8 F

. 3 d 1 2 7 6

, 1 2 8 5 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 8 ) ( h o l d i n g

t h a t a “ b a r e

, c o n c l u s o r y a l l e g a t i o n

. . . [ w a s ] i n s u f f i c i e n t

, w i t h o u t m o r e

, t o w a r r a n t

f u r t h e r e v i d e n t i a r y c o n s i d e r a t i o n ” )

.

T o t h e e x t e n t B i n g h a m s e e k s t o a s s e r t a s e p a r a t e a n d i n d e p e n d e n t c l a i m f o r

d a m a g e s f

o r d e n i a l o f h i s o w n c o p y o f t h e p r i s o n r u l e b o o k

, t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t d i d

n o t a b u s e i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n d i s m i s s i n g B i n g h a m ’ s c l a i m a s f r i v o l o u s u n d e r 2 8

U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 A

. B i n g h a m c l a i m s t h a t t h e d e n i a l o f a r u l e b o o k v i o l a t e d h i s d u e

p r o c e s s r i g h t s

, b u t h e h a s f a i l e d t o e s t a b l i s h h o w a n i n m a t e ’ s f a i l u r e t o i n d i v i d u a l l y

r e c e i v e a p r i s o n r u l e b o o k i n v o l v e s a l i f e

, l i b e r t y

, o r p r o p e r t y i n t e r e s t

. K i r b y v

.

S i e g e l m a n

, 1 9 5 F

. 3 d 1 2 8 5

, 1 2 9 0 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 9 ) ( i n o r d e r f o r a n i n m a t e t o

8e s t a b l i s h a v i o l a t i o n o f t h e d u e p r o c e s s c l a u s e

, h e m u s t s h o w t h a t t h e a c t i o n

c o m p l a i n e d o f d e p r i v e d h i m o f l i f e

, l i b e r t y

, o r p r o p e r t y w i t h i n t h e m e a n i n g o f t h e

F o u r t e e n t h A m e n d m e n t )

. 3

M o r e o v e r

, a s v a r i o u s c i r c u i t s h a v e h e l d w h e n r u l i n g o n a n i n m a t e ’ s c l a i m

t h a t h e w a s d e n i e d u s e o f a p r i s o n ’ s g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e

, a n i n m a t e h a s n o

c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y

- p r o t e c t e d l i b e r t y i n t e r e s t i n a c c e s s t o t h a t p r o c e d u r e

. S e e A d a m s

v

. R i c e

, 4 0 F

. 3 d 7 2

, 7 5 ( 4 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 4 ) ( “ t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n c r e a t e s n o e n t i t l e m e n t t o

g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e s o r a c c e s s t o a n y s u c h p r o c e d u r e v o l u n t a r i l y e s t a b l i s h e d b y a

s t a t e ” ) ; F l i c k v

. A l b a

, 9 3 2 F

. 2 d 7 2 8

, 7 2 9 ( 8 t h C i r

. 1 9 9 1 ) ( p e r c u r i a m ) ( h o l d i n g t h a t

f e d e r a l p r i s o n a d m i n i s t r a t i v e r e m e d y p r o c e d u r e s “ d o n o t i n a n d o f t h e m s e l v e s

c r e a t e a l i b e r t y i n t e r e s t i n a c c e s s t o t h a t p r o c e d u r e

, ” a n d t h a t “ t h e p r i s o n e r ’ s r i g h t

t o p e t i t i o n t h e g o v e r n m e n t f o r r e d r e s s i s t h e r i g h t o f a c c e s s t o t h e c o u r t s

, w h i c h i s

n o t c o m p r o m i s e d b y t h e p r i s o n ’ s r e f u s a l t o e n t e r t a i n h i s g r i e v a n c e ” ) ; M a n n v

.

A d a m s

, 8 5 5 F

. 2 d 6 3 9

, 6 4 0 ( 9 t h C i r

. 1 9 8 8 ) ( “ [ t ] h e r e i s n o l e g i t i m a t e c l a i m o f

e n t i t l e m e n t t o a g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e ” ) ; s e e a l s o D o e v

. M o o r e

, 4 1 0 F

. 3 d 1 3 3 7

,

We rec og nize that the failure to r ece ive a pr ison rule book conc eivably could implicate 3

an inmate’ s due proc ess rig hts if this failure somehow de nied him acc ess to the cour ts.

Howeve r, to state a c laim of denial of a cce ss to courts, an inmate must alleg e some pre judice

cause d by the denial. L ewis v. Casey , 518 U.S. 343, 351 (1996). Where the basis of the

complaint is the denial of leg al re source s, he must alleg e that this denial “hinde red his ef forts to

pursue a leg al claim.” I d. Bing ham’s complaint re adily admits that he revie wed a copy of the

prison’s g rieva

nce policy

from a f ellow inmate, and thus c ould not have suff ere d any prejudice

from the pr ison’s alleg ed fa ilure to provide him with his own copy

.

91 3 5 0 ( 1 1 t h C i r

. 2 0 0 5 ) ( “ S t a t e

- c r e a t e d p r o c e d u r a l r i g h t s t h a t d o n o t g u a r a n t e e a

p a r t i c u l a r s u b s t a n t i v e o u t c o m e a r e n o t p r o t e c t e d b y t h e F o u r t e e n t h A m e n d m e n t

,

e v e n w h e r e s u c h p r o c e d u r a l r i g h t s a r e m a n d a t o r y

. ” ) ( q u o t a t i o n s o m i t t e d )

.

B e c a u s e w e a g r e e w i t h o u r s i s t e r c i r c u i t s t h a t a p r i s o n g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e

d o e s n o t p r o v i d e a n i n m a t e w i t h a c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y p r o t e c t e d i n t e r e s t

, w e l i k e w i s e

r e j e c t B i n g h a m ’ s a r g u m e n t t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t a b u s e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n d i s m i s s i n g

B i n g h a m ’ s c l a i m t h a t t h e p r i s o n ’ s g r i e v a n c e p r o c e d u r e s w e r e i n a d e q u a t e a s

f r i v o l o u s u n d e r 2 8 U

. S

. C

. § 1 9 1 5 A

.

F i n a l l y

, w e a r e u n p e r s u a d e d t h a t t h e d i s t r i c t c o u r t a b u s e d i t s d i s c r e t i o n i n

d i s m i s s i n g B i n g h a m ’ s c l a i m t h a t p r i s o n g u a r d s a l l o w e d i n m a t e s t o s t e a l h i s

p r o p e r t y a s f

r i v o l o u s

, b e c a u s e B i n g h a m d i d n o t p r o v i d e a n y d e t a i l s t o s u p p o r t t h i s

c l a i m

, s u c h a s t h e n a m e s o f t h e g u a r d s o r i n m a t e s i n v o l v e d i n t h e s e i n s t a n c e s o f

t h e f t

. T h u s

, h i s c o n c l u s o r y a l l e g a t i o n s w e r e i n s u f f i c i e n t t o s u r v i v e t h e f

r i v o l i t y

s c r e e n i n g

. S e e T a y l o r

, 1 4 8 F

. 3 d a t 1 2 8 5

.

A c c o r d i n g l y

, w e v a c a t e t h e d i s m i s s a l o f t h e d e n t a l t r e a t m e n t c l a i m a n d

r e m a n d f

o r f u r t h e r p r o c e e d i n g s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h i s o p i n i o n

, a n d a f f i r m t h e

d i s m i s s a l o f B i n g h a m ’ s r e m a i n i n g c l a i m s

.

V A C A T E D A N D R E M A N D E D I N P A R T

, A F F I R M E D I N P A R T

.

10