Opinion ID: 1339555
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Communicative Rights:

Text: The petitioners make a rather broad assertion of violations of their communicative rightslack of writing materials and stamps, access to telephones, lack of legal materials and the opening of their mail. It is clear that from a constitutional standpoint arising out of the Fourteenth Amendment's due process considerations that a right of meaningful access to the courts is required. Bounds v. Smith, 430 U.S. 817, 97 S.Ct. 1491, 52 L.Ed.2d 72 (1977); Wolff v. McDonald, 418 U.S. 539, 97 S.Ct. 2963, 41 L.Ed.2d 935 (1974). In Williams v. Leeke, 584 F.2d 1336 (4th Cir.1978), cert. denied, 442 U.S. 911, 99 S.Ct. 2825, 61 L.Ed.2d 276 (1979), such access rights were found applicable to jails. Although as Dawson, supra at 1313, points out: In considering the degree to which officials must take affirmative action to assure prisoners meaningful access, the courts have been cognizant of the expected length of a prisoner's confinement: [I]n determining whether all inmates have adequate access to the courts, the district court need not consider those inmates whose confinement is of a very temporary nature or for purposes of transfer to other institutions. The district judge should have little difficulty, realizing the fundamental nature of the right of access, in determining those cases where the brevity of confinement does not permit sufficient time for prisoners to petition the courts. Cruz v. Hauck, 627 F.2d 710, 719 (5th Cir.1980), citing Cruz v. Hauck, 515 F.2d 322, 332 (5th Cir.1975); Leeds v. Watson, 630 F.2d 674, 676-77 (9th Cir.1980); see also Note, The Impact of Bounds v. Smith on City and County Jails, 67 Ky.L.J. 1064, 1077-78 (1978-79). Dawson, supra at 1313-14, concluded as to those prisoners who were not of a transient character that the county was required to furnish reasonable postage, writing materials and notarial services to prisoners unable to afford or obtain them and to provide sufficient and regular telephone service ... to `have a reasonable opportunity to seek and receive the assistance of attorneys.' Procunier v. Martinez, 416 U.S. [396] at 419, [40 L.Ed.2d 224,] 94 S.Ct. at 1814 [(1974)]. There is some factual conflict in regard to telephone accessability, but it does appear that writing material and stamps are not provided for indigent prisoners to write counsel or prepare writs. Obviously, in light of the foregoing law, such materials are required to be supplied. Regular telephone access should be provided and if the parties are unable to agree on a suitable plan, the matter should be resolved by the trial court on remand. The petitioners also contend that they are denied access to legal materials which is controverted by the respondents' statement that material from the county law library is made available upon proper request. We are not informed of the extent of the problem but recognize as does Dawson and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Williams v. Leeke, supra at 1340-41, that a prisoner in a city jail is entitled to reasonable access to the courts and that is not provided one serving a substantial sentence of confinement if, without other legal assistance, he has access only to a law library which is so restricted so as to be unmeaningful. If the parties cannot agree on a suitable arrangement, this matter should be resolved by the trial court on remand. The claim that the petitioners' incoming mail is opened outside their presence is denied by the respondents. The practice of opening a prisoner's incoming mail to inspect it for possible contraband has been judicially sanctioned in Wolff v. McDonald, supra . The presence of the inmate may be required only as to mail from attorneys. Wolff v. McDonald, supra ; Crowe v. Leek, 550 F.2d 184 (4th Cir.1977); Dawson, supra .