Whirl v. Clague

Court erred in dismissing inmates's pro se mandamus petition alleging that sheriff, county clerk, and correctional center warden violated his right to marry by frustrating his ability to acquire a marriage license and ultimately to marry.Inmate requested that Defendants follow through with correctional center's structured written procedural step of furloughing him to county clerk's office on a scheduled day and time to acquire his marriage license. Correctional center's memo describing procedure affords no discretion as to step involving furloughing of an inmate to get marriage license. Petition seeks to compel Sheriff, clerk, and warden to desist from actions that frustrate his constitutional right to marry and do what is necessary for him to secure a marriage license, and thus is a proper request for mandamus relief. (CARTER, concurring; SCHMIDT, dissenting.)