Owens v. Evans

Dist. Ct. did not err in granting defendants-prison officials’ motion for summary judgment in plaintiff-prisoner’s section 1983 action, alleging that defendants obstructed his access to courts in violation of his First Amendment rights by providing him with inadequate access to prison law library, confiscating his trust fund account to repay advanced litigation costs, and denying him adequate legal storage boxes and supplies. Confiscation of trust fund account to repay advanced litigation costs was proper under Gaines, 790 F.2d 1299. Moreover, Dist. Ct. could properly dismiss on timeliness grounds plaintiff’s claims regarding denial of adequate access to prison law library, as well as to legal storage boxes and supplies, since plaintiff’s complaint was filed more than two years after he had exhausted any internal administrative remedies regarding said claims. Also, with respect to any of plaintiff’s underlying lawsuits, plaintiff failed to show existence of any prejudice arising out of any alleged inadequate access to either prison law library, prison supplies or prison storage boxes.