Jones v. Bock
United States Supreme Court
549 U.S. 199 (2007)
- Written by Matt Fyock, JD
Facts
Jones (plaintiff) was an inmate in a Michigan prison. He was injured in an accident and was subsequently given a work assignment that he claimed he could not perform due to his injuries. He complained to the staffer at his work detail, but the staffer told him to perform the job. Jones did so and allegedly aggravated his injuries as a result. Jones brought a grievance against the prison. When he did not receive redress, he filed a lawsuit against the prison. The Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) of 1995 requires exhaustion of administrative remedies before a prisoner can bring an action in federal court. Jones did not have copies of certain grievance documents, so the trial court dismissed his complaint, finding that he had not proven that he had exhausted his remedies. The court of appeals upheld this ruling.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Roberts, C.J.)
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