Jensen v. Thornell

District Court, D. Arizona·Decided February 24, 2021·No. 2:12-cv-00601·Unknown

Opinion

WO

Victor Antonio Parsons, et al., No. CV-12-00601-PHX-ROS

Plaintiffs, ORDER

v.

David Shinn, et al.,

Defendants. This Order resolves most pending matters and requires expedited briefing on certain issues. I. Defendants’ Rule 60 Motion for Relief from Court Order Doc. 3734 (Doc. 3756) The Stipulation explicitly requires Defendants “implement” a “Step Program Matrix” that allows maximum custody prisoners to progress through various “steps” according to their behavior. (Doc. 1185 at 9). The Step Program Matrix dictates the amount of out-of-cell time and access to other privileges prisoners must receive according to which of three steps the prisoners occupy. At the time of the Stipulation, that program was known as DI 326, but it was subsequently promulgated as Department Order (“DO”) 812. Thus, the parties often refer to DI 326 and DO 812 interchangeably. In May 2020, the parties presented a discovery dispute to the Court regarding Plaintiffs’ request for “[d]ocuments sufficient [to] show average length of stay for prisoners in maximum custody units, including the average length of stay in Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 under DI 326/DO 812.” (Doc. 3613 at 2-3). Plaintiffs argued these documents were necessary to monitor Defendants’ compliance with the Stipulation—specifically, whether Defendants were allowing prisoners to progress through the Step Program Matrix. The Court ordered Defendants to produce the documents, Defendants produced incomplete and inconsistent data, and, later, the Court awarded Plaintiffs their attorneys’ fees. (Doc. 3635 at 4). On September 18, 2020, Defendants filed a “Rule 60 Motion for Relief from Court Order.” (Doc. 3756). According to Defendants, the Court has “expanded the four corners of the Stipulation.” (Doc. 3756 at 2). Defendants contend “the Stipulation does not mandate prescribed and guaranteed progression through the step program — nor was that the intent of the parties in negotiating the Stipulation.” In addition, “[n]either the Stipulation nor DI 326/DO 812 require ADCRR to advance prisoners through the step matrix at prescribed rates.” (Doc. 3756 at 3). Thus, Defendants argue it was error to require them to produce documents regarding average length of stay at particular steps, and it was an additional error to award Plaintiffs their attorneys’ fees. The Stipulation requires Defendants “implement” the Step Program Matrix. (Doc. 1185 at 9). That requires the program exist and that prisoners be allowed to progress through the steps. If Defendants mean that they did not have an intent to “implement” the Step Program Matrix, then they acknowledge they entered into the Stipulation in bad faith. Holding Defendants to their agreement to “implement” the Step Program Matrix does not mean prisoners are entitled to progress at a prescribed rate. Rather, it merely requires Defendants administer the program such that compliant prisoners do, in fact, progress. Thus, the Court rules, again, Plaintiffs are entitled to the documents necessary to determine if Defendants are “implement[ing]” the Step Program Matrix or if it merely exists as a theoretical manner. Plaintiffs also remain entitled to their fees. Defendants’ Rule 60 motion will be denied. II. Fines Pursuant to May 2019 OSC (Doc. 3235) and Motion Regarding PM 50 at Florence (Doc. 3584) In May 2019, the Court issued an Order to Show Cause regarding Defendants’ continued noncompliance with its obligations under the Stipulation (“May 2019 OSC”). (Doc. 3235). The May 2019 OSC directed Defendants to bring specified PMs into compliance for the June 2019 numbers or face contempt sanctions in the amount of $50,000 for each PM at each complex that was noncompliant. The June 2020 data reflects the following regarding the specified PMs. (Doc. 3335). Compliant PMs Noncompliant PMs 6, 15, 35, 44, 72 at 11, 12, 14, 37, 39, 40, 42, Eyman 47, 49, 51, 52 at Eyman 35, 39, 44 at Lewis 15, 19, 24, 37, 47 at Lewis 44, 49 at Florence 42, 50, 51, 52, 66 at Florence 51, 66, 67 at Tucson Based on these scores, Defendants did not meet their obligations for 24 of the PMs.1 As this Court previously held, “[b]efore finding civil contempt, a court must determine by clear and convincing evidence that: (1) a valid court order exists that is ‘specific and definite’; (2) the party had knowledge of the order, and notice of and an opportunity to be heard about the alleged noncompliance; and (3) the party failed to take ‘all reasonable steps to comply with the order.’” Parsons v. Ryan, No. CV-12-0601-PHX- DKD, 2018 WL 3239691, at *2 (D. Ariz. June 22, 2018) (citations omitted). The May 2019 OSC was specific and definite, Defendants had knowledge of the May 2019 OSC, and Defendants were given the opportunity to be heard regarding their failure to comply. Therefore, the only issue is whether Defendants took all reasonable steps to comply with the order.2 They did not. Defendants argue the Court should not impose contempt sanctions because several of the PMs in the May 2019 OSC became compliant and several were “nearing compliance.” (Doc. 3339 at 8). More than five years after implementation of the Stipulation, however, Defendants are aware that 85% is the requirement for compliance

1 This includes PM 12 at Eyman and PM 19 at Lewis, which were subject to the May 2019 OSC and were noncompliant in June 2019. But because those PMs have since been retired, the Court declines to impose coercive sanctions for Defendants’ noncompliance. 2 Most of Defendants’ arguments opposing the May 2019 OSC center around their belief the Court could not impose contempt fines. The Ninth Circuit rejected this argument in its January 2020 opinion. Parsons v. Ryan, 949 F.3d 443, 454-455 (9th Cir. 2020). Thus, there is no question the Stipulation empowers the Court to use contempt as an enforcement mechanism. and anything beneath that measure constitutes failure. “[N]earing compliance” is not enough to avoid sanctions. (Id.). Defendants also argue they had an insufficient opportunity to purge the contempt. That is untrue. Defendants were given a month to come into compliance with their obligations and, in fact, some of the PMs became compliant and, as a result, no sanctions will be imposed for those PMs. Defendants also assert they took all reasonable steps to comply with the OSC but noncompliance was “largely out of their control.” (Doc. 3339 at 7). Plaintiffs correctly note, however, that Defendants make no effort to explain what steps they took to comply with PM 11 at Eyman; PM 39 at Eyman; PM 40 at Eyman; PM 42 at Eyman; PM 42 at Florence; PM 47 at Eyman; PM 47 at Lewis; PM 49 at Eyman; PM 52 at Eyman; and PM 52 at Florence. Therefore, sanctions will be imposed for those noncompliant measures. As for the remainder of the noncompliant PMs, Defendants point to the transition from Corizon to Centurion in late June and early July 2019 as causing “delays in scanning the documentation needed” (Doc. 3339 at 7); an “inability to create the prescription medication log” (Doc. 3339 at 7, referencing PM 14 at Eyman); and the “scanned copies of inventory logs [being] misplaced” (Doc. 3339 at 7, referencing PM 24 at Lewis). Defendants do not explain why these administrative errors caused their noncompliance and why they were unavoidable.3 Defendants also cite the difficulty in staffing open positions and maintaining existing staff at their facilities. Defendants do not articulate the specific steps they took to mitigate the staffing issues and why no other steps were available.4 This explanation does not avoid a contempt sanction for PM 14 at Eyman; PM 24 at Lewis; PM 37 at Eyman; PM 37 at Lewis; and PM 67 at Tucson. And finally, as to PM 50 at Florence; PM 51 at Eyman; and PM 51 at Florence,

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949 F.3d 443 (Ninth Circuit, 2020)