Zimmerman v. Simmons.

• Position: FREE SPEECH, EXPRESSION, ASSOCIATION - Brief Article

U.S. District Court

PUBLICATIONS

Zimmerman v. Simmons, 260 F.Supp.2d 1077 (D.Kan. 2003). State prison inmates and a non-profit publisher of a prison newspaper, Prison Legal News, brought an action against state prison officials. The district court held that prison regulations and policies limiting inmates' receipt of publications, and barring receipt of free or gift subscriptions, were rationally related to a legitimate penological interest, and did not violate the First Amendment or due process. The prison internal policies prevented certain inmates in a lower offender classification from purchasing publications, and limited other inmates to $30 per month for the purchase of publications. The court found that these policies were rationally related to prison interests that included: controlling, managing and tracking property in prison to identify the existence of prohibited activities; promoting order...