Plaintiff, an inmate in a federal prison, filed a lawsuit alleging that the Bureau of Prisons violated his First Amendment rights to receive information and petition the government when it denied plaintiff’s request that the law library provide full electronic access to the Federal Register. The district court entered summary judgment for the defendant and plaintiff appealed. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, agreeing with the district court’s conclusions that the Bureau’s policy was reasonably related to its legitimate interest in preserving limited resources. The Seventh Circuit also affirmed the district court’s denial of plaintiff’s motions for counsel, finding that he had proven himself competent to litigate the case. (ST. EVE and KIRSCH, concurring)
Federal 7th Circuit Court
Civil Court
First Amendment