Search | Prison Phone Justice

Louisiana Public Service Commission Postpones Prison Phone Reforms

Article • April 15, 2013 • from PLN April, 2013

Filed under: Misconduct/Corruption, Contractor Misconduct, Telephone Rates

Louisiana Public Service Commission Postpones Prison Phone Reforms by Mel Motel After heated hearings and postponement, on December 12, 2012, the Louisiana Public Service Commission (LPSC) voted to lower the cost of phone calls made from Louisiana prisons and jails by cutting the rates of most calls by 25% and …

Georgia Prison Disturbance Linked to Contraband Cell Phones

Article • April 15, 2013

Filed under: Telephones, Cell Phone Access

Georgia Prison Disturbance Linked to Contraband Cell Phones by In the wake of a disturbance which left twelve people injured at Hancock State Prison, Georgia prison officials are suggesting that prisoners used cell phones to plan and coordinate the uprising. On November 25, 2011, while prisoners in one area of …

Judd v Att Wa Att Letter to the Court April 2 2013

Brief • April 2, 2013

Filed under: Telephones

TELEGRAPH COMPANY; GTE NORTHWEST INC.; CENTURYTEL TELEPHONE UTILITIES, INC; NORTHWEST TELECOMMUNICATIONS, INC., d/b/a PTI COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; U.S. WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC.; TNETIX, INC., 18 Defendants. 19 ...

Judd v Att Wa Declaration Richard Spoonemore Tnetix Settlement 2013

Brief • March 25, 2013

Filed under: Telephones

FOR KING COUNTY 7 8 9 10 SANDY JUDD, TARA HERIVEL, and COLUMBIA LEGAL SERVICES, for themselves, and on behalf of all similarly situated persons, 11 12 Plaintiffs, v. 13 14 15 16 AMERICAN TELEPHONE ...

In Re Interstate Inmate Calling Costs Verizon Wireless Fcc Comment 2013

Brief • March 25, 2013

Filed under: Telephones

on which the Commission should focus. The record contains undisputed evidence that an inmate’s regular telephone and other communication with family aids in the inmate’s transition back into the community ...

Judd v Att Wa Youtz Declaration Compensation Tnetix Settlement 2013

Brief • March 25, 2013

Filed under: Telephones

ACTION DECLARATION OF CHRIS R. YOUTZ IN SUPPORT OF CLASS COUNSEL’S MOTION FOR COMPENSATION, COSTS AND INCENTIVE AWARD RE: T-NETIX SETTLEMENT AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY and T-NETIX, INC ...

Deregulation of Telephone Rates in Florida Eliminates Caps on Prisoner Rates

Article • March 15, 2013

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Rates

Deregulation of Telephone Rates in Florida Eliminates Caps on Prisoner Rates by To comply with Florida law, the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) amended its rules to remove its ...

Maine Supreme Judicial Court: PUC Cannot Regulate Prisoner Phone Rates

Article • March 15, 2013

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Rates

of Corrections (DOC) charges state prisoners was not subject to regulation by the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC). A complaint was filed with the PUC alleging that the DOC's prisoner telephone rates were ...

Abuse in Los Angeles Jails Leads to Investigations, Lawsuits and Eventual Reforms

Article • March 15, 2013 • from PLN March, 2013

Filed under: Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Retaliation against Staff, Conditions of Confinement, Overcrowding, Exercise, Clothing, Jail Specific, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Telephone Access

that ordered the county to improve jail conditions – including overcrowding, inadequate exercise, and lack of clean clothing and telephone access. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had initially ...

Historic $45 Million Settlement in Washington State Prison Phone Class-action Suit

Article • March 15, 2013 • from PLN March, 2013

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Access, Telephone Rates

prisoners during the same time period; however, those claims were dismissed by the court under the filed tariff doctrine. In 1988, the Washington legislature determined that the provision of telephone ...

Prepaid Telephone Credits Theft Leads to Change of Provider in Wisconsin Jail

Article • March 15, 2013

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Rates

Prepaid Telephone Credits Theft Leads to Change of Provider in Wisconsin Jail by On September 21, 2011, the Lake County, Wisconsin, Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to change ...

California: Corrections Department Donates Confiscated Cell Phones to Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Organizations

Article • March 15, 2013

Filed under: Telephones, Cell Phone Access

California: Corrections Department Donates Confiscated Cell Phones to Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Organizations by In recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced plans to donate thousands of confiscated cell phones to organizations that help victims of domestic violence. In …

From the Editor

Article • February 15, 2013 • from PLN February, 2013

Filed under: Editorials, Telephones, Telephone Rates, Mail Regulations, PLN Litigation

From the Editor by Paul Wright I would like to thank everyone who has donated to the Human Rights Defense Center/Prison Legal News annual fundraiser. As of mid-January 2013 we had raised a little over $29,000 of our $60,000 goal to continue the Campaign for Prison Phone Justice, and still …

In Memory of Jon E. Yount (1938-2012)

Article • February 15, 2013 • from PLN February, 2013

Filed under: Eulogies, Voting, Crime/Demographics, Census, Parole, Telephone Rates, Suicides

.” In Yount v. T-Netix, Jon brought the prison system’s abusive telephone rates and billing practices before the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission and won refunds in 2008. The Department of Corrections ...

FCC Finally Moves on Wright Petition After Almost a Decade of Inaction

Article • February 15, 2013 • from PLN February, 2013

Filed under: Lobbying, Telephones, Telephone Rates

of prisoners and their families with the prison telephone system, and ideas for changing it. In the past six months more than 700 letters have arrived at the FCC from prisoners, their family members and other ...

Iswed v Caruso, MI, Opinion & Order granting plf app for attoney fees, prisoner overseas phone calls, 2013

Brief • February 14, 2013

Filed under: International, Telephones, Family

a number of causes of action, all based on the defendants’ refusal to allow him to make telephone calls to his family in Romania and Jordan. (Id.) This court dismissed Mr. Iswed’s case on its initial review ...

Louisiana Public Service Commission Votes to Lower Prison and Jail Phone Rates

Article • January 15, 2013 • from PLN January, 2013

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Rates, State Legislation

Service Commission (LPSC) voted to lower the cost of telephone calls made from state prisons and local jails. With rates of $.30 per minute and surcharges to set up phone accounts, calls made by Louisiana ...

Cook County, Illinois Lowers Jail Phone Rates

Article • January 15, 2013 • from PLN January, 2013

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Rates

. 1999, p.10; June 2000, p.19; Feb. 2001, p.19; May 2002, p.12]. For another recent victory for lower prison phone rates, see the article on reduced telephone rates for Louisiana prisoners in this issue ...

Transportatoin to Court for Hearings Affecting Prisoners Parental Rights, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, 2013

Publication • January 1, 2013

Filed under: Telephone Access, Video Visitation, Children of Prisoners

. Cal. Rule of Court section 5.530(f)(2). prison has the ability to provide a telephone or videoconference appearance, or not. Form JV-450 asks the parent to fill out form JV-451. Form JV 451 is called ...

Organizations Submit Letters to FCC Urging Action on Prison Phone Rates

Article • December 15, 2012 • from PLN December, 2012

Filed under: Telephones, Telephone Access, Telephone Rates

industry and highlighted the “commission” kickback system that drives up the cost of prison telephone calls in most states. According to HRDC’s letter, some consumers pay more than $17.00 for a 15-minute ...