Court Opinion

ID: 9488293
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 12:41:31.493042+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:52:48.763776
License: Public Domain

SCIRICA, Circuit Judge,
concurring.
I agree that Bieregu has alleged a constitutional violation of his right to court access, and that the law was sufficiently established to preclude a finding of qualified immunity. But I have doubts that Bieregu’s free speech rights are implicated here.
First Amendment free speech rights are implicated when prison officials censor inmates’ mail. Procunier v. Martinez, 416 U.S. 396, 409, 94 S.Ct. 1800, 1809, 40 L.Ed.2d 224 (1974), overruled on other grounds, Thornburgh v. Abbott, 490 U.S. 401, 109 S.Ct. 1874, 104 L.Ed.2d 459 (1989). But “freedom from censorship is not equivalent to freedom from inspection or perusal.” Wolff v. McDonnell, 418 U.S. 539, 576, 94 S.Ct. 2963, 2984, 41 L.Ed.2d 935 (1974). Because it is far from clear that defendants censored Bieregu’s court mail, I would base this holding on his constitutional right to court access.
*1460Also, because Bieregu has not claimed his right to privacy was infringed, it is unnecessary to address this issue.
Present: MANSMANN, SCIRICA and SAROKIN, Circuit Judges.
SUR PETITION FOR REHEARING
Sept. 11, 1995
The petition for rehearing filed by appellant in the above-entitled case having been submitted to the judges who participated in the decision of this court, and no judge who concurred in the decision having asked for rehearing, the petition for panel rehearing is denied.