Phillips v. Gordich.

• Position: CIVIL RIGHTS - Brief Article

U.S. Appeals Court

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

Phillips v. Gordich, 408 F.3d 124 (2nd Cir. 2005). An inmate brought a pro se civil rights action against several correctional officials. The district court dismissed the case and the inmate appealed. The appeals court vacated and remanded, finding that the inmate stated a claim for equal protection violations by alleging that he and other minorities were subjected to disparate treatment because of their race. The district court had dismissed the action because the inmate had failed to adequately separate and number his factual allegations, provide a caption or otherwise list the defendants to the action, and clearly state what causes of action he was asserting. The appeals court held that although the inmate's allegations were not...