Opinion ID: 501251
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: 2 Betty June Coleman, an inmate at the Renz Correctional Center (Center), and Doyle J. Williams 1 (appellants) filed a pro se suit against William Turner, superintendent of the Center, and Micky Ross, a corrections officer at the Center (appellees). Appellants claimed that appellees (1) violated their right to send and receive mail; (2) harassed them in retaliation for pursuing litigation; (3) violated their right of access to the courts; (4) violated Coleman's right to visitation; and (5) punished Coleman in a cruel and unusual manner. The jury found for appellants on the claim of retaliation and awarded them each $1 in nominal damages. After the jury verdict, appellants sought an order (1) directing appellees to remove from institutional records all references to Coleman's conduct violations because the conduct violations had been determined without due process; and (2) directing appellees to stop punishing them for bringing lawsuits. Appellants also filed a motion for attorney's fees and costs. The district court 2 denied appellants injunctive relief, finding (1) that the conduct violations were imposed consonant with due process, and (2) that appellants were not being retaliated against in an attempt to deny them access to the courts. The district court then concluded that it had no authority to award appellants attorney's fees and costs. Appellants appeal from these findings. 3