Disability Rights New York (DRNY), together with Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York (PLS) received a groundbreaking decision from the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit recognizing that young adults with disabilities can enforce their own special education rights.
Category Archives: Litigation
CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT: NEW YORK PRISONS VIOLATE RESTRICTIONS ON PROLONGED SOLITARY CONFINEMENT
The New York Civil Liberties Union and Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York today filed a class action lawsuit in state supreme court against New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) for illegally subjecting people to prolonged solitary confinement . . .
PLS CHALLENGES WITHHOLDING OF EVIDENCE REQUESTED THROUGH FOIL
Timely access to prison records is critical to PLS’s ability to provide effective representation to our clients. Our primary means of obtaining records for initial investigations and advocacy is New York’s Freedom of Information Law (FOIL). We recently argued an appeal before the Appellate Division, Third Department challenging DOCCS’ withholding of videos and narrative incident reports requested through FOIL.
DOCCS REVERSES CLIENT’S REMOVAL FROM WORK RELEASE PROGRAM FOLLOWING A LAWSUIT FILED BY PLS IN FEDERAL COURT
PLS prevails in challenge to a DOCCS’ decision to remove our client from the work release program following his filing of a worker’s compensation program claim for a prior occupational injury as one that violates Americans with Disabilities Act.
LAWSUIT CHALLENGES FIVE POINTS DENIAL OF MOBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Today the nonprofit organizations Disability Rights Advocates (DRA) and Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York (PLS) filed a class action lawsuit against the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) on behalf of people with disabilities who are incarcerated at Five Points Correctional Facility and have been denied mobility-related accommodations they need to get around.
Second Circuit holds Article 10 detainee is not prisoner for PLRA purposes
A civilly detained individual is not a “prisoner” as defined by the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA).
PLS Wins Groundbreaking Case in the Second Circuit
On July 1, 2021, the Second Circuit issued a landmark decision in Brathwaite v. Garland, finding that the imposition of a presumption of finality to state criminal convictions under appellate review was arbitrary and unreasonable.
DOCCS Reverses Disciplinary Hearing in Response to Lawsuit From PLS
PLS prevails in challenge to a prison disciplinary proceeding alleging guilty finding was not supported by substantial evidence and violated state regulations and DOCCS’ directives
PLS’ Advocacy Results in Decades of Time Saved
Between April 2020 and March 2021, PLS’ advocacy in the areas of disciplinary hearings, jail time, sentencing computations and parole has resulted in decades of time being removed from people’s sentences.
Second Circuit Brings Clarity to Exhaustion Requirement Under the PLRA
The Second Circuit adopts a bright-line rule regarding exhaustion under the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA).