Prisoners' Self-Help Litigation Manual

Fourth Edition

John Boston and Daniel E Manville

A best-selling book in all three of the previously released editions, the fourth edition is updated to include the most relevant prisoner's rights topics and approaches to litigation for those currently facing incarceration.
Prisoners' Self-Help Litigation Manual, 4th Edition is a comprehensive tool for learning about prisoner's civil rights, and providing the necessary information and background to formulate a strong legal self-defense for those rights.
Written by two legal and penitentiary experts with intimate knowledge of prisoner's rights and legal aid work. Mr. Manville has successfully formulated and argued in his own prisoner's civil rights litigation.
Expert advice on civil liberties in prison (conditions and practices, property, medical care, freedom of expression, privacy, religion, access to the courts, and more), procedural due process, equal protection of the laws, pre-trial detainees' rights, the court system, actions , defenses, and relief, how to litigate, legal research, and writing legal documents.
With the current issues of prison overcrowding and incidents of prison violence, it is of vital importance for prisoners and their families to possess the knowledge of a prisoner's civil rights. The Prisoner's Self-Help Litigation Manual, 4th Edition, outlines the rights as well as legal remedies for abuses of those rights.

Prisoners' Self-Help Litigation Manual

Fourth Edition

John Boston and Daniel E Manville

Description

Prisoners' Self-Help Litigation Manual, in its much-anticipated fourth edition, is an indispensable guide for prisoners and prisoner advocates seeking to understand the rights guaranteed to prisoners by law and how to protect those rights. Clear, comprehensive, practical advice provides prisoners with everything they need to know on conditions of confinement, civil liberties in prison, procedural due process, the legal system, how to litigate, conducting effective legal research, and writing legal documents. Written by two legal and penitentiary experts with intimate knowledge of prisoner's rights and legal aid work, authors John Boston and Daniel E. Manville strategically focus on federal constitutional law, providing prisoners and those wishing to assist them with the most important information concerning legal rights.

Over the past decade, prison law and conditions have changed significantly. This new edition is updated to include the most relevant prisoners' rights topics and approaches to litigation. Updates include all aspects of prison life as well as material on legal research, legal writing, types of legal remedies, and how to effectively use those remedies.

Certainly the most authoritative, well-organized and relevant prisoner's rights manual available - - the eagerly awaited fourth edition should be purchased by everyone interested in civil rights for the incarcerated.

Prisoners' Self-Help Litigation Manual

Fourth Edition

John Boston and Daniel E Manville

Table of Cases

Preface and Acknowledgments

I. Introduction: Using this Manual and Using the Courts

Part I: The Rights of Prisoners

II. Conditions of Confinement
III. Civil Liberties in Prison
IV. Procedural Due Process
V. Equal Protection of the Laws
VI. Pre-Trial Detainee's Rights

Part II: Enforcing Your Rights

VII. The Legal System
VII. Actions, Defenses, and Relief
IX. How to Litigate
X. Legal Research
XI. Writing Legal Documents

Prisoners' Self-Help Litigation Manual

Fourth Edition

John Boston and Daniel E Manville

Author Information

John Boston is Director of the Prisoners' Rights Project of the New York City Legal Aid Society. Mr. Boston received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University and earned his J.D. from New York University School of Law. He began his career as a research coordinator for The Defender Project of the Twentieth Century Fund in New York City. He has also contributed research and writing concerning prison population issues for the Correctional Association of New York and began his tenure as the Legal Aid Society as a staff attorney. Mr. Boston is widely published, with numerous articles on prisoners, their rights and circumstances nationwide, and has litigated several cases pertaining to prisoner's rights. He also participated in a national working group with the ACLU in response to the Prison Litigation Reform Act, reviewing briefs and pleadings, consulting with prisoner advocates, preparing CLE and practice materials. He is on the faculty of the Practicing Law Institute and co-administrator of the Prisoners' Rights section of the website www.probono.com.

Daniel E. Manville is an attorney specializing in civil rights litigation. Mr. Manville has a Bachelor in Science from Central Michigan University (1976); a Bachelor Degree in General Studies from Wayne State University (1976); a Juris Doctorate from Antioch School of Law (now University of District of Columbia Law School) (1981); a Master in Criminal Justice, Michigan State University (1985). From 1988 through 2003, he was in private practice concentrating on providing representation to prisoners. From 2003 to summer of 2007, Manville was the Clinical Staff Attorney for Wayne State University Civil Rights Litigation Clinic. During 2007 and 2008 academic year, Manville was a Visiting Professor at University of Denver Law School Civil Rights Clinic. He is also an author and co-author of a number of self-help litigation manuals for prisoners; a number of articles on rights of prisoners; and co-author of A Prisoner's Rights, 2005 Annual Survey of Michigan Law, 2005 Wayne Law Review.

Prisoners' Self-Help Litigation Manual

Fourth Edition

John Boston and Daniel E Manville

Reviews and Awards

"In the many years I have worked with people facing or serving capital and Life sentences, I have experienced their frustration at their own inability to take charge of their cases and/ or their grievances...they lack the skills and the access to good law libraries. The Prisoners' Self-Help Litigation Manual, available for more than 25 years but recently updated, takes on the task of providing prisoners with the tools to handle their legal needs. It explains the pertinent law, shows them what they need to do to litigate an issue, and provides them with resources for help. As a self-trained professional in this field, I also found it extremely helpful. I truly believe that defense teams, advocates, and family members of the incarcerated should do their best to see that clients and loved ones have this important resource. And they should buy one for themselves!" --Claudia Whitman Director, National Death Row Assistance Network of CURE