Opinion ID: 2720885
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Mr. Lewis’s Colorado case

Text: Mr. Lewis argues the lack of Colorado state law materials in the NCDC law library hindered his ability to contest a pending (and unrepresented) traffic charge in Arapahoe County, Colorado. ROA at 227, 229. Mr. Lewis’s amended complaint fails to plausibly allege an access to the courts claim on this score because it fails to demonstrate a lack of access or resulting prejudice. His amended complaint alleges that appointed counsel in his federal case was not obligated to help him with this unrelated matter and “never entertained” his request to do so. Id. at 229. Mr. Lewis nevertheless filed a writ of habeas corpus with the Arapahoe County courts on June 18, 2013, in what he terms a “feeble attempt to access the courts.” ROA at 233. He did not receive a response. Id. Mr. Lewis’s amended complaint further 10 To the extent Mr. Lewis argues counsel was ineffective, see Aplt. Br. at 15, we reject this claim for two reasons. First, a traditional claim of ineffective assistance is not cognizable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 because his attorney is not a state actor. See Polk Cnty. v. Dodson, 454 U.S. 312, 325 (1981) (“[A] public defender does not act under color of state law when performing a lawyer’s traditional functions as counsel to a defendant in a criminal proceeding.”). Second, prevailing on such a claim would call into question the validity of his conviction, which is generally not permissible to do through a § 1983 action. See Edwards v. Balisok, 520 U.S. 641, 643 (1997) (“[A] state prisoner’s claim for damages is not cognizable under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 if ‘a judgment in favor of the plaintiff would necessarily imply the invalidity of his conviction or sentence,’ unless the prisoner can demonstrate that the conviction or sentence has previously been invalidated.” (quoting Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477, 487 (1994))). -20- alleges his $10,000 bond related to that pending charge increased to $20,000 when he missed his June 25, 2013 court date and the bail bond agent did not receive proof of his incarceration in NCDC. Id. Mr. Lewis fails to allege, however, precisely how these consequences can be attributed to deficiencies in NCDC’s legal facilities. He acknowledges he filed a writ of habeas corpus with the Arapahoe County courts regarding the Colorado charge before he was due to appear in court, and he fails to articulate how alleged deficiencies in NCDC’s law library contributed either to the lack of response from the Colorado court or the increase in his bail bond. As a result, his amended complaint fails to state an access to courts claim upon which relief may be granted.