OAR 291-117-0100
Authorized Legal Property
(1)
Each inmate is authorized to possess in his/her living quarters, and in the facility law library, legal material in or directly pertaining to his/her own pending and active case(s)/lawsuit(s) before the courts or paroling authorities. The authorized legal material shall not exceed the capacity of storage container(s) designated by the functional unit manager/designee for storage of inmate personal property. If an inmate exceeds the capacity of available storage in his/her living quarters, additional authorized legal storage container(s) will be available for purchase (limit two). Additional legal storage containers shall only be used to store an inmate’s authorized legal materials.(2)
Prior to an inmate being allowed to purchase additional legal storage container(s), the inmate must send a written request to the staff member(s) designated by the functional unit manager/designee.(a)
The staff member will verify the requesting inmate has authorized legal materials that exceed the designated storage capacity of the inmate’s living quarters. The staff member will also verify the number of legal storage containers the inmate needs for the storage of his/her authorized legal materials.(b)
Once verified, the inmate will follow the procedure designated by the functional unit manager/designee regarding the purchase of authorized legal storage containers.(3)
Indigent Inmates: An inmate lacking sufficient funds in his/her trust account to pay for an additional storage container(s) for storage of authorized legal material in his/her living quarters will be provided with additional storage container(s) upon written request to the staff member(s) designated by the functional unit manager/designee. The written request must be accompanied by a signed Inmate Withdrawal Request form (CD 28). The inmate’s trust account will be debited for collection of the cost(s) of the container(s) as funds become available.(4)
Excess Authorized Legal Material: If an inmate accumulates large amounts of authorized legal material that exceeds the capacity of storage available to the inmate in his/her living quarters, a reasonable amount of secure space for storage of excess authorized legal material will be provided for inmate use, on an as-needed and availability basis, in storage areas designated by the functional unit manager/designee. The following procedures will be utilized to provide for the inmate’s access to and security of such materials:(a)
Inmate Organizes His/Her Own Legal Materials: The inmate shall organize and inventory his/her authorized excess legal material by case name and number, and place the material in storage containers approved by the department. All approved storage containers shall be labeled with the inmate’s name, SID number, and with the case name and number. Designated staff will secure the storage containers. The inmate shall complete an Excess Authorized Legal Material Inventory List (CD 1242a). The original shall be retained with the library coordinator/designee, one copy shall be retained by the inmate, and one copy shall be placed with the stored material. Upon completion of the inventory list, the material shall be collected by designated staff and placed in a designated storage area(s).(b)
Only legal material in or directly pertaining to the inmate’s own pending and active case(s)/lawsuit(s) before the courts or paroling authorities, shall be authorized for storage. The inmate may not store case law, legal texts or books, or multiple copies of legal material as excess active legal material. Any material which is determined by staff, with the assistance of legal counsel where necessary, to not directly pertain to the inmate’s own pending and active case(s)/lawsuit(s) shall be collected by designated staff and placed in a standard storage box(es) for storage pending disposition as directed and approved in writing by the functional unit manager.(c)
Staff Orders Inmate to Organize His/Her Own Legal Materials: Upon receiving a written order from staff, an inmate shall have a reasonable period of time, not to exceed one week (seven calendar days), except as authorized by the functional unit manager/designee, within which to organize and inventory his/her legal material, and complete an Excess Authorized Legal Material Inventory List (CD 1242a).(A)
In the event the inmate refuses to organize and inventory his/her excess authorized legal material as ordered, the inmate shall receive a misconduct report and the material will be collected by designated staff and placed in a standard storage box(es) for storage. The box(es) will be labeled with the inmate’s name and SID number and marked “Legal Material” and stored in a designated storage area.(B)
The inmate shall not have access to the stored material until he/she agrees to properly organize and inventory the material as ordered. In such event, the inmate will be permitted a reasonable amount of time for this activity, not to exceed one week (seven calendar days).(C)
In no event will such material be destroyed or removed from the facility by staff except as authorized and directed in writing by the inmate, in accordance with procedures for disposition of inmate personal property provided in this rule, or as directed and approved in writing by the functional unit manager.(d)
An inmate will be permitted reasonable access to his/her stored excess authorized legal material. An inmate may request his/her authorized legal material from designated storage at any time upon showing written documentation that an imminent court deadline (within 30 days) exists, or once each month, on an exchange basis, (e.g., by trading an equivalent amount of authorized legal material from his/her assigned cell or housing area or from the facility law library). The request must be directed to and approved by the facility library coordinator, and identify the specific material(s) requested by case number and name. Removal and exchange of excess authorized legal material from designated storage outside the facility law library shall be documented on the Excess Authorized Legal Material Inventory List (CD 1242a) and a Legal Material Transaction form (CD 1242). Both the inmate and the responsible staff shall sign the inventory list and transaction forms.(e)
Approved storage containers are property of the department. The approved storage containers will not be removed from the designated storage areas. Inmates will only be allowed to remove their own legal materials under staff supervision.(5)
Possession of Authorized Legal Material by Assigned Inmate Legal Assistants: Assigned inmate legal assistants are authorized to receive and possess legal material pertaining to another inmate’s pending and active case(s)/lawsuit(s), only in the facility law library, at the request of the inmate seeking assistance. Possession of such legal material shall be for purposes of assisting the inmate with legal research and the preparation and filing of legal documents with the courts and paroling authorities.
Source:
Rule 291-117-0100 — Authorized Legal Property, https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/view.action?ruleNumber=291-117-0100.