§ 15:1182 — Appropriate remedies with respect to prison conditions

A. Prospective relief in any civil action with respect to prison conditions shall extend no further than necessary to correct the violation of the state right of a particular plaintiff or plaintiffs. The court shall not grant or approve any prospective relief unless the court finds that such relief is narrowly drawn, extends no further than necessary to correct the violation of the state right, and is the least intrusive means necessary to correct the violation of the state right. The court shall give substantial weight to any adverse impact on public safety or the operation of a criminal justice system caused by the relief. The court shall not order any prospective relief that requires or permits a government official to exceed his or her authority under state or local law or otherwise violates state or local law unless state law permits such relief to be ordered, and the relief is necessary to correct the violation of a state right, and no other relief will correct the violation of the state right. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to authorize the courts, in exercising their remedial powers, to order the construction of prisons or the raising of taxes, or to repeal or detract from otherwise applicable limitations on the remedial powers of the courts.
B. In any civil action with respect to prison conditions, to the extent otherwise authorized by law, the court may enter a temporary restraining order or an order for preliminary injunctive relief. Preliminary injunctive relief must be narrowly drawn, extend no further than necessary to correct the harm the court finds requires preliminary relief, and be the least intrusive means necessary to correct that harm. The court shall give substantial weight to any adverse impact on public safety or the operation of a criminal justice system caused by the preliminary relief. Preliminary injunctive relief shall automatically expire ninety days after its entry, unless the court makes the findings required under Subsection A for the entry of prospective relief and makes the order final before the expiration of the ninety-day period.
C. In any civil action with respect to prison conditions, no prisoner release order shall be entered unless a court has previously entered an order for less intrusive relief that has failed to remedy the violation of the state right sought to be remedied through the prisoner release order and the defendant has had a reasonable amount of time to comply with the previous court order.
D. Any state or local official or unit of government whose jurisdiction or function includes the appropriation of funds for the construction, operation, or maintenance of prison facilities, or the prosecution or custody of persons who may be released from, or not admitted to, a prison as a result of a prisoner release order shall have standing to oppose the imposition or continuation in effect of such relief and to seek termination of such relief, and shall have the right to intervene in any proceeding relating to such relief.
E.(1) In any civil action with respect to prison conditions in which prospective relief is ordered, such relief shall be terminable upon the motion of any party or intervener two years after the date the court granted or approved the prospective relief, or one year after the date the court has entered an order denying termination of prospective relief under this Section, or, in the case of an order issued on or before July 9, 1997, two years after such date.
(2) In any civil action with respect to prison conditions, a defendant or intervener shall be entitled to the immediate termination of any prospective relief if the relief was approved or granted in the absence of a finding by the court that the relief was narrowly drawn, extended no further than necessary to correct the violation of the state right, and was the least intrusive means necessary to correct the violation of the state right.
(3) Prospective relief shall not terminate if the court makes written findings based on the record that prospective relief remains necessary to correct a current or ongoing violation of the state right and that the prospective relief is narrowly drawn, extends no further than necessary to correct the violation of the state right, and is the least intrusive means to correct the violation.
(4) Nothing in this Section shall prevent any party or intervener from seeking modification or termination before the relief is terminable under this Subsection, to the extent that modification or termination would otherwise be legally permissible.
F. In any civil action with respect to prison conditions, the court shall not enter or approve a consent decree unless it complies with the limitations on relief set forth in Subsection A. Nothing in this Section shall preclude parties from entering into a private settlement agreement that does not comply with the limitations on relief set forth in Subsection A, if the terms of that agreement are not subject to court enforcement other than the reinstatement of the civil proceeding that the agreement settled.
G. The court shall promptly rule on any motion to modify or terminate prospective relief in a civil action with respect to prison conditions. Any prospective relief subject to a pending motion shall be automatically stayed during the period beginning on the thirtieth day after such motion is filed, in the case of a motion made under Subsection E, or beginning on the one hundred eightieth day after such motion is filed, in the case of a motion made under any other law, and ending on the date the court enters a final order ruling on the motion.

Legislative History

Acts 1997, No. 731, §1, eff. July 9, 1997.