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Minneci v. Pollard

Status: Closed (Judgment)
Last Update: September 19, 2011

What's at Stake

Whether private prison officials can be sued for violating the constitutional rights of federal prisoners?

It has been clear for thirty years that federal prison officials can be sued by federal prisoners for violating their constitutional rights. The question in this case is whether private prison officials can also be sued for violating the constitutional rights of federal prisoners in their care. The question has great practical importance because the federal government, like many states, is increasingly relying on private corporations to run its federal prisons and immigration detention centers.

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