Haynes v. Stephenson, No. 08-3766

By FindLaw Staff on December 16, 2009 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

In a 42 U.S.C. section 1983 action by a prisoner alleging that he was unlawfully disciplined for filing a grievance, judgment for plaintiff is affirmed where: 1) the filing of a disciplinary charge was actionable under section 1983 if done in retaliation for the inmate's having filed a grievance pursuant to established procedures; 2) the district court did not clearly err in finding that defendant would not have filed the disciplinary report at issue but for a retaliatory motive; and 3) because defendant's actions resulted in only nominal compensatory damages, the district court did not err in concluding that the high ratio of punitive to compensatory damages awarded did not offend due process.

Read Haynes v. Stephenson, No. 08-3766

Appellate Information

Submitted: September 25, 2009

Filed: December 16, 2009

Judges

Opinion by Judge Gruender

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