Opinion ID: 23588
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: 14 This Court asked the parties to brief the issue of our jurisdiction to hear the appeal of the district court's order denying the defendants' motions to terminate the 1992 consent decree. The defendants and the inmates agree that this Court has jurisdiction over the denial of the motions to terminate on constitutional grounds under 28 U.S.C. 1292(a)(1) 5 as a refusal to dissolve an injunction. However, the inmates argue that the findings of Eighth Amendment violations in the areas of protection from harm, use of force, and administrative segregation are not appealable because they are a basis for directing the parties to confer and attempt to reach an agreement on a form of judgment remedying the violations, not a basis for denial of the motions. The inmates further contend that the contingent alternative order is not appealable because it will become effective only if this Court reverses the district court's decision on the statutory and constitutional issues. According to the inmates, the alternative order merely establishes a process for replacing the final judgment with prospective injunctive relief and is only a predecessor to a final decree. 15 Both the primary and alternative orders give the parties an opportunity to attempt to reach an agreement on a proposed form of judgment. Thus, the inmates' argument that the alternative order is somehow different in this respect is unavailing. The district court expressly denied the motions to terminate on two grounds: (1) the constitutionality of the termination provisions of the PLRA and (2) ongoing constitutional violations in TDCJ-ID. Thus, this Court has jurisdiction over the appeal of both orders under 28 U.S.C. 1292(a)(1) as refusals to dissolve an injunction. 16