Supreme Court to CA: Cut prison inmates by 33,000

Lawyer Blogs

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that California must drastically reduce its prison population to relieve severe overcrowding that has exposed inmates to increased violence, disease and death.

The decision, however, doesn't mean the prison gates will swing open in an uncontrolled release.

The high court's 5-4 decision calls on the state to cut the population to no more than 110,000 inmates. To get there, state officials have two years to either transfer some 33,000 inmates to other jails or release them.

California has already been preparing for the ruling, driven as much by persistent multibillion-dollar budget deficits as by fears for the well-being of prison inmates and employees. The state has sent inmates to other states. It plans to transfer jurisdiction over others to counties, though the state doesn't have the money to do it.

"They've made a lot of plans already,'' said Michael Bien, one of the attorneys who sought the ruling on behalf of mentally and physically ill inmates who suffered in severely crowded conditions. "We're sure it can be done safely and appropriately.

Related listings

  • Appeals court reverses Countrywide suit dismissal

    Appeals court reverses Countrywide suit dismissal

    Lawyer Blogs 05/20/2011

    An appeals court has overturned the dismissal of a class-action lawsuit brought by investors against mortgage giant Countrywide Financial Corp.The move by a panel of the California 2nd District Court of Appeal reverses the decision by a Superior Cour...

  • Supreme Court won't revive torture lawsuit

    Supreme Court won't revive torture lawsuit

    Lawyer Blogs 05/16/2011

    The Supreme Court on Monday refused to revive a lawsuit challenging a controversial post-Sept. 11 CIA program that flew terrorism suspects to secret prisons.The appeal asked the court to examine two controversial aspects of the U.S. response to the 9...

  • Court affirms convictions of Abramoff probe figure

    Court affirms convictions of Abramoff probe figure

    Lawyer Blogs 05/13/2011

    A federal appeals court has upheld the convictions of the George W. Bush administration's top procurement official in the Abramoff influence-peddling scandal. A three-judge panel in Washington rejected the arguments of David Safavian, who was convict...

Grounds for Divorce in Ohio - Sylkatis Law, LLC

A divorce in Ohio is filed when there is typically “fault” by one of the parties and party not at “fault” seeks to end the marriage. A court in Ohio may grant a divorce for the following reasons:
• Willful absence of the adverse party for one year
• Adultery
• Extreme cruelty
• Fraudulent contract
• Any gross neglect of duty
• Habitual drunkenness
• Imprisonment in a correctional institution at the time of filing the complaint
• Procurement of a divorce outside this state by the other party

Additionally, there are two “no-fault” basis for which a court may grant a divorce:
• When the parties have, without interruption for one year, lived separate and apart without cohabitation
• Incompatibility, unless denied by either party

However, whether or not the the court grants the divorce for “fault” or not, in Ohio the party not at “fault” will not get a bigger slice of the marital property.

Business News

New York & New Jersey Family Law Matters We represent our clients in all types of proceedings that include termination of parental rights. >> read