Opinion ID: 544624
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the pretrial order

Text: 9 The district court ordered Guyer to sign a power of attorney form limited to authorizing the warden's receipt of the court's orders and notices pending the adjudication of the power of attorney form itself. The district court noted that failure to comply with its order would result in dismissal of the habeas petition. In dismissing Guyer's habeas action for failure to obey this order, the district court specifically found that it would be unreasonable to require the warden to deliver Guyer's mail personally. Because this decision by the district court is a legal conclusion involving the interpretation and application of legal precepts, our review is plenary. McCandless v. Beyer, 835 F.2d 58, 60 (3d Cir.1987). 10 The order directing Guyer to sign a limited power of attorney form was a reasonable order entered by the district court to further the efficient management of its caseload. However, Guyer objected to the district court's order, claiming that it denied his right of access to the courts while giving the warden a right he could not constitutionally exercise. We disagree. By requiring Guyer to execute a limited power of attorney form, the district court furthered communication between the parties and the court while also furthering the warden's legitimate interest in prison security. See Turner v. Safley, 482 U.S. 78, 89, 107 S.Ct. 2254, 2261-62, 96 L.Ed.2d 64 (1987) (prison regulations are constitutional if reasonably related to legitimate penological interest). 11 The limited power of attorney form that Guyer refused to execute would have authorized prison officials to receive and document the receipt of his mail related to his case. See supra p. 1426. This would directly further communication between the parties and the court. The limited power of attorney form also would have enabled the warden to comply with United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual Sec. 115.97, which requires prison officials to obtain the inmates' consent to the prison's receipt of their mail so that prison officials can open, inspect, and censor incoming mail. 9 Without such consent, the prison would have to deliver the mail unopened, or else return it to the post office marked Refused. 12 By objecting to the warden's decision to have his mail returned to the post office, rather than delivered unopened, Guyer was claiming, in effect, a constitutional right to have his mail delivered unopened. While it is clear that Guyer's right of access to the courts would be burdened if he failed to receive mail related to his pending lawsuit and as a result did not learn of deadlines and rules relevant thereto, it is also clear that requiring the warden to deliver Guyer's mail unopened could adversely affect prison security because contraband could be delivered to Guyer undetected. Preventing the introduction of contraband into the prison is unquestionably a legitimate penological interest. See Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539, 577, 94 S.Ct. 2963, 2985, 41 L.Ed.2d 935 (1974) (Constitution allows prisons to open attorney mail addressed to inmate in presence of inmate in order to inspect for contraband). Under Pennsylvania regulations, the warden can have incoming inmate mail from the courts and attorneys opened in the presence of the inmate-addressees to inspect for contraband. 37 Pa.Code Secs. 93.2(b)(2),-(d),-(e)(2), 95.234(a)(6),-(7). 10 However, the United States postal regulation limits the warden's authority to open an inmate's mail to those inmates who consent to the warden's receipt and opening of their mail. 13 As a result, the district court's order enabled it to communicate with Guyer without undermining the warden's interest in prison security. Such an accommodation of both Guyer's need to receive mail related to his case and the prison's legitimate interest in inspecting incoming mail for contraband does not deny Guyer his right of access to the courts. Cf. Turner, supra. Accordingly, we hold that the district court's order requiring Guyer to execute a limited power of attorney form did not infringe upon Guyer's right of access to the courts and that it was a reasonable pretrial order.