Opinion ID: 77923
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mail from Al-Amin's Wife

Text: In 2002, plaintiff's wife, Karima Al-Amin (Karima) began sending legal correspondence marked legal mail to him. Karima is a licensed attorney practicing in Atlanta, Georgia. From April 13, 1999 to August 1, 2004, defendant Martin oversaw the daily operations of the prison mailroom. [5] Martin admits that, in April 2002, she accidentally opened a letter from Karima. As Martin resealed the letter, she saw that Karima was an attorney and that the letter came from Karima's law office. Martin informed Warden Smith that Al-Amin had received mail of a personal nature from his attorney-wife. In May 2002, Warden Smith asked Al-Amin for a list of his attorneys of record. Smith asked for the list because Al-Amin had a number of attorneys and Smith did not want mailroom staff opening Al-Amin's legal mail outside Al-Amin's presence. Al-Amin gave Smith the names of five attorneys, but did not include Karima. [6] Because Al-Amin did not identify Karima as one of his attorneys, Smith informed Martin and other mailroom staff that Karima's letters should be treated as regular mail. According to Smith and Martin, Al-Amin and Karima never informed them that Karima was representing Al-Amin.