Opinion ID: 373420
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Impartial Hearing Committee

Text: 29 Rhodes's eighth claim alleges that defendants denied him the benefit of an impartial panel to hear charges of misconduct brought against him. He argues that the presence on the hearing committee of an officer of the guards, Captain Wicker, destroyed impartiality. 30 We have ruled that the requirement of an impartial tribunal prohibits only those officials who have a direct personal or otherwise substantial involvement, such as major participation in a judgmental or decision-making role, in the circumstances underlying the charge from sitting on the disciplinary body. Meyers v. Alldredge, 492 F.2d 296, 306 (3d Cir. 1974); Accord, Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539, 592-93, 94 S.Ct. 2963, 41 L.Ed.2d 935 (1974) (Marshall, J., concurring and dissenting). Wicker's first affidavit states that the misconduct charges against Rhodes were prepared by another officer. In his second affidavit, Wicker says: I had no involvement in the facts outlined in (the) misconduct report . . . (,) nor did I witness the (occurrence). Rhodes submitted no affidavits or documents to refute these facts and alleges no further facts relevant to impartiality. Thus, undisputed facts establish that the hearing board satisfied the requirements of due process. The district court's grant of summary judgment was correct.