U.S. district court: law library PLRA--Prison Litigation Reform Act.

• Position: Access to Courts

LaPlante v. Pepe, 307 F.Supp.2d 219 (D.Mass. 2004). A state prisoner filed a [section] 1983 action, alleging that prison officials had interfered with his right of access to courts by denying him physical access to the prison's law library. After the court entered summary judgment in favor of the inmate, the prisoner's counsel applied for attorney fees. The counsel requested $125,533 in fees and costs; the court awarded $99,981. The court found that the very high number of hours spent by the law firm representing the inmate was not unreasonable, even though the firm used junior attorneys to staff the case, where prison officials refused to concede a violation even when it was apparent in the face of a "crystal clear settlement...