Redman v. Department of Corrections

10 Fla. Supp. 2d 162
CourtState of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings
DecidedJanuary 31, 1985
DocketCase No. 84-1916R
StatusPublished

This text of 10 Fla. Supp. 2d 162 (Redman v. Department of Corrections) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering State of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Redman v. Department of Corrections, 10 Fla. Supp. 2d 162 (Fla. Super. Ct. 1985).

Opinion

OPINION

ROBERT T. BENTON, II, Hearing Officer.

This matter came on for hearing at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida, before the Division of Administrative Hearings by its duly designated Hearing Officer, Robert T. Benton, II, on October 22, 1984. Petitioner appeared on his own behalf. Respondent was represented by counsel.

Along with petitioner Redman, John Russell, Douglas Adams, Winston Lloyd, Joe Holland, and Nyadzi Dzinokunda Rufu filed a petition for administrative determination of the invalidity of an existing rule. At hearing it was made to appear that Joe Holland had been released by respondent’s custody, and Nyadzi Dzinokunda Rufu [163]*163elected on the record to dismiss the petition, insofar as it related to him. Messrs Holland and Rufu were, accordingly, dismissed as petitioners before the taking of evidence began.

Rules 33-22.01 through 33-22.12, Florida Administrative Code, governing inmate disciplinary proceedings, are challenged here. At the close of petitioner’s case, respondent stated various motions, including a motion to dismiss Messrs. Russell, Adams and Lloyd as petitioners on the ground that they had not established standing. As to petitioner Russell, the evidece was that his last disciplinary report was on April 13, 1984, and that no proceedings on the report were pending. What the disposition may have been the evidence did not show, and no lingering ill effects were proven, in any event.

As far as the evidence at hearing revealed, Mr. Adams had never been involved in any disciplinary proceeding of any kind. Mr. Lloyd proved that he had received a disciplinary report in May of this year alleging verbal disrespect on his part for an officer but that the charges had not been sustained. In these circumstances, Messrs. Russell, Adams and Lloyd were dismissed as petitioners, on the authority of the Florida Department of Offender Rehabilitation v. Jerry, 353 So.2d 1230 (Fla. 1st DCA 1978) cert. den. sub nom. Jerry v. Florida Department of Offender Rehabilitation, 359 So.2d 1215 (Fla. 1978).

After the hearing had concluded, Douglas L. Adams filed a motion for reconsideration to which he attached a request for administrative remedy or appeal and a disciplinary report worksheet, reflecting an administrative determination adverse to him, on allegations that he had disobeyed a guard’s verbal order on August 4, 1983. The motion for reconsideration alleges that disciplinary action against him in the wake of this incident “result[ed] in a loss of gain-time and ultimately, an extension of his presumptive parole release date.”

Respondent filed a motion to strike or deny motion for reconsideration on November 28, 1984. On December 3, 1984, Mr. Adams filed a reply to alternative motion to strike, but he has failed to show good cause for reopening the record after conclusion of the hearing.

On motion for extension of time filed by Joseph Redman and Douglas L. Adams, time for filing of posthearing submissions was extended until December 10, 1984.

ISSUE

Whether Rules 33-22.01 through 33-22.12, Florida Administrative Code, are an invalid exercise of delegated legislative authority, in whole or in part?

[164]*164 FINDINGS OF FACT

Joseph Redman, who had been confined at Union Correctional Institution since April of 1978, engaged a correctional officer in a verbal exchange one day last August. The correctional officer told him he was guilty of disobeying a verbal order and an investigating officer was assigned to the matter. The specification was changed to disorderly conduct, petitioner Redman was found guilty, placed in disciplinary confinement for 28 days and penalized by the forfeiture of 60 days’ gain time. At the disciplinary hearing, petitioner was first apprised only of the written statement of the charging officer. Petitioner asked that two witnesses be called, another correctional officer and another inmate. He was then told that the other correctional officer’s story had corroborated the first officer’s charges, and his request was denied.

On March 12, 1984, the following rules took effect:

33-22.01 General Policy.
(1) It is the intent of this rule to assure that inmate discipline and control are fully consonant with the correctional objectives of the institution, the focus being on:
(a) Individual inmate adjustment to the program, behavior standards, and limitations necessarily imposed by the administration;
(b) The general welfare and safety of the institutional community; and
(c) The incorporation of due process standards for inmate disciplinary hearings.
33-22.02 Terminology and Definitions. The following terms, as defined, should be standard usage throughout the Department:
(la) Disciplinary Team—That group of employees designated by the institution’s administrator to handle major disciplinary action.
(2b) Disciplinary Confinement—Confinement which includes the loss of privileges normally afforded other inmates and is effected only after procedures outlined in this chapter have been fully complied with.
(3c) Material Witness—Important witness having evidence relevant to facts in dispute; one whose testimony is important to decide the case.
(4d) Corrective Consultation—A form used to report a violation of rules of such a minor nature that no disciplinary report is felt [165]*165necessary, but where a written reprimand is utilized to correct the inappropriate behavior.
(5e) Major Violation—Any rule violation that is of such magnitude that it is likely that disciplinary action would include loss of gain time or disciplinary confinement if found guilty. Such cases will be handled by the Disciplinary Team.
(6f) Minor Violation—Any rule violation for which a verbal or written corrective consultation is not sufficient, but for which loss of gain time or placement in disciplinary confinement will not be imposed. Such cases may be handled by the Hearing Officer.
(7g) Hearing Officer—Any employee equal to or exceeding the rank of Lieutenant who will be responsible for reviewing and disposing of disciplinary reports involving incidents that can be handled short of disciplinary confinement or loss of gain time. He will evaluate the facts of the case and when appropriate impose discipline. Such cases would then not be sent to the Disciplinary Team for hearing.
(8h) Disciplinary Report (DC4-804)—A formal method of charging an inmate with a rule violation causing written notice to be served on the inmate, a complete investigation of the allegations, fact finding by an impartial team of staff members, and, when appropriate, sanctions being imposed as discipline.
(9i) Senior Correctional Officer—The custodial officer in charge of security on any work shift.
(lOj) Correctional Officer Chief—The highest ranking correctional officer employed at the institution or facility.
33-22.03 Disciplinary Team, Hearing Officer and Peer Groups.

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Bluebook (online)
10 Fla. Supp. 2d 162, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/redman-v-department-of-corrections-fladivadminhrg-1985.