Austin v. Wilkinson.

• Position: Inmates files class action lawsuit against corrections officials of violating their due process rights - Brief Article

U.S. Appeals Court

CUSTODY LEVEL

DUE PROCESS

Austin v. Wilkinson, 372 F.3d 346 (6th Cir. 2004). State inmates housed at a supermaximum security prison facility brought a class action against corrections officials under [section] 1983, alleging violations of their procedural due process rights. The district court ruled that officials had violated the inmates' due process right and granted injunctive relief. The court ordered the adoption of a revised version of placement regulations and the officials appealed. The appeals court affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded. The appeals court held that state inmates enjoyed a due process protected liberty interest in not being placed at a supermaximum facility, absent the satisfaction of state-mandated substantive predicates, but that the district court did not have the power to order state officials to modify their predicates. The appeals court upheld the procedural modifications made by the district court to the state's placement and retention policies...