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No. 19-7801October Term 2019Decided Apr 20, 2020

Docket 19-7801October Term 2019 (2019–2020)

Barstad v. Wash. Dep't of Corr.

A petitioner is asking the Supreme Court to review a case involving the Washington Department of Corrections while also requesting permission to proceed without paying standard court fees.

Case status

Current stage
Decided
Latest event
Decision released Apr 20, 2020
Case Accepted
Arguments
Decision ReleasedApr 20, 2020
What it's about

A petitioner is asking the Supreme Court to review a case involving the Washington Department of Corrections while also requesting permission to proceed without paying standard court fees.

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

Timing

Decided April 20, 2020

The Court released its decision on April 20, 2020 without hearing oral argument.

Grounding

Grounding
Primary-source trail available.
Note
Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
Checked
Jul 25, 2026
Primary materials4