Prisoners' Rights

PROTECTING HEARING IMPAIRED PRISONERS

In Duffy v. Riveland, Heller Ehrman attorneys successfully settled a class action on behalf of hearing-impaired prisoners in Washington State. The settlement obligates the Washington State Department of Corrections to provide prisoners with assistive devices, qualified sign language interpreters, and access to prison services on an equal basis with non-deaf prisoners.

CLASS ACTION FOR MENTALLY ILL INMATES

Heller Ehrman was counsel in a federal class action, Coleman v. Wilson, that successfully challenged, under the Eighth Amendment and the Americans with Disabilities Act, the inadequate mental health care provided to an estimated 25,000 seriously mentally ill inmates of the California prison system.

LITIGATING  INADEQATE MEDICAL CARE

In Cook v. Gomez, Heller Ehrman attorneys represented a state prisoner who lost her child in utero due to the grossly inadequate medical care given to her in prison. She received a settlement of $145,000 from the California Department of Corrections.

CHALLENGING FAILURE TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Heller Ehrman attorneys won a major trial victory in a case against Washington State. Following trial, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington entered an order holding Washington State officials in contempt for failing to offer constitutionally adequate mental health care to residents of the State's Special Commitment Center.

REPRESENTING LEGAL SERVICES FOR PRISONERS WITH CHILDREN

The firm has done extensive work with Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC), beginning with its incorporation as a California non-profit corporation. Lawyers at the firm have represented women inmates with child custody, visitation, estate planning or other legal problems. Heller Ehrman has also litigated several class actions in association with LSPC.

UNCONSTITUTIONAL JAIL CONDITIONS