Opinion ID: 685664
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: operating procedures

Text: 94 An updated complete list of Legal Assistants must be regularly available in the law library and housing areas, with all relevant instructions about the Legal Assistant Program including the selection process; this process shall not require disclosure of the requesting prisoner's legal concerns. An agreement between a prisoner seeking assistance and a Legal Assistant will be reported to and recorded in the law library. An ADOC denial because of mistake or ineligibility, or upon finding that these two prisoners cannot be together without creating a serious threat to safety or security, and the opportunity for an alternate selection, shall be provided to the prisoner and to the Legal Assistant within 72 hours of the report to the library; a copy will be held for the Special Master. 95 A prisoner who is unable to reach agreement with a Legal Assistant or requires a replacement, may seek institutional intervention by filing a request form in the appropriate receptacles. Upon receipt, ADOC shall act to secure the requested assistance in a timely fashion. The institution will be relieved of this responsibility in a particular matter if two Legal Assistants independently conclude after adequate review that the prisoner's claim is not viable nor capable of redress by formal legal processes; such responses shall be provided to the Special Master.
96 A prisoner shall request a meeting with a Legal Assistant by use of a legal assistance form and receptacle. Legal Assistants may initiate such meetings in the same manner. Provided that other applicable requirements are met, including access equivalent to I(C)(3), ADOC may utilize an alternative method of requesting a meeting when the sole purpose is preparation for a disciplinary hearing. ADOC must arrange a meeting that occurs within 72 hours of a request and notify the prisoner and Legal Assistant in writing of the time and place at least 24 hours prior to the meeting. An imminent legal deadline, including a pending disciplinary hearing, noted on a request requires an expedited meeting occurring within 24 hours of the request by a prisoner or Legal Assistant; II(F)(2) does not otherwise apply to assistance provided solely for a pending disciplinary matter. 97 ADOC must allow a prisoner to meet at least three hours each week at reasonable times and under reasonable conditions with his or her Legal Assistant; additional time shall be permitted to meet a filing or other legal deadline. Such meetings may occur during law library turnouts; a request by a prisoner or Legal Assistant to have both persons scheduled for a particular turnout shall be given preference. If the library is not requested or available, another location allowing the necessary privacy should be utilized. 98 A non-contact meeting may be used by ADOC if there is a finding that this is required because of documented security problems attributable to these two prisoners, or if either is in a fully segregated status. The reasons for the non-contact shall be provided to the prisoners in the required meeting notice, and to the Special Master. Any such non-contact meeting shall permit discussion in normal tones, and allow both participants clear sight of each other and of each others legal papers. 99 Meetings between a prisoner and his or her Legal Assistant shall not be recorded or listened to. A prisoner shall not be given Legal Assistant status nor assigned to provide legal assistance with the objective of providing information to institutional personnel.
100 ADOC shall provide Legal Assistants with additional time in the law library commensurate with their obligations to assist other prisoners. In addition to his or her own hours, a Legal Assistant shall be permitted an additional two hours of library use per week for each prisoner registered as assisting; this may be done at times when the library is not open for general use. The additional hours scheduled for a Legal Assistant may be subtracted from the weekly minimum of the prisoner being assisted.
101 A Legal Assistant may possess and utilize the legal supplies and services available to a prisoner he or she is registered as assisting solely for purposes relating to this assistance. If this prisoner is indigent, the Legal Assistant will be permitted those free legal supplies and services that are provided to indigent prisoners. These supplies and services must first be requested by the indigent prisoner for delivery to the Legal Assistant.