No. 19-7801October Term 2019Decided Apr 20, 2020Updated Sep 3, 2026
Barstad v. Wash. Dep't of Corr.
The Supreme Court declined to hear Barstad's case, leaving the Ninth Circuit result in place without deciding the legal questions.
Case status
Decided · April 20, 2020
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- What it's about
James Benjamin Barstad challenged Washington Department of Corrections restrictions and disciplinary practices, alleging that repeated sanctions, collective punishment, and allegedly arbitrary or discriminatory policies violated his rights. The Supreme Court denied review, leaving the Ninth Circuit’s judgment in place without deciding the merits of Barstad’s claims.
Question presented
1. When STATE OF WASHINGTON repeatedly imposes sanctions back-to-back, i.e., when ’temporary" restrictions become perpetual through various schemes, is it equitable to then allow Sandin v. Conner to preclude any/all inmate claims? 2. Is punishing. inmates, who are acting-as-correctly, for the misdeeds of other inmates equitable and in agreement with penological objectives, especially when said punishment is imposed in an arguably unconstitutional manner, i. e., racially, arbitrarily and capriciously? 3. Should STATE OF WASHINGTON be allowed to continue the use of a Policy that is not authorized by statute, especially whan it is applied in an arguably unconstitutional manner? 4. What exactly is the minimum due process required when an inmate loses merely "privileges," the question left open by this Court in Baxter v. PaLmigiano? 5. Did STATE OF 'WASHINGTON breach their Contract with the Plaintiff, James- Benjamin; Barstad®, subjecting them to the damages set forth in said Contract?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit / Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- Area
Business and Regulation
Decision
What the Court decided
The Supreme Court declined to hear Barstad's case, leaving the Ninth Circuit result in place without deciding the legal questions.
Impact
The lower-court result remains in place for Barstad and the Washington Department of Corrections. Other incarcerated people raising similar claims would not receive a new Supreme Court decision from this case.
Not official Court text.
Briefing
What it's about
James-Benjamin Barstad asked the Supreme Court to review claims involving Washington prison sanctions, due process, and a Washington Department of Corrections policy. On April 20, 2020, the Court declined review and did not decide the merits.
Impact
The lower-court result remains in place for Barstad and the Washington Department of Corrections. Other incarcerated people raising similar claims would not receive a new Supreme Court decision from this case.
What's next
The Court has finished its action on this docket. The case remains resolved under the lower-court result.
What did the Supreme Court do in Barstad v. Wash. Dep't of Corr.?
The Court declined review on April 20, 2020. It did not decide the prison-policy or due-process questions.
Who is affected by the outcome in Barstad?
Barstad and the Washington Department of Corrections remain bound by the lower-court result. The case created no new Supreme Court rule for other incarcerated people.
What happens next in Barstad v. Wash. Dep't of Corr.?
The Supreme Court has finished its docket action. The lower-court result remains in place.
Timing
Decided April 20, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 20, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Feb 24, 2020 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Sep 3, 2026
- Method
- Methodology