General Delivery
San Quentin, CA 94964
Serves: CA
Focus area/description: The Prison Law Office provides free legal services to people in California state prisons and county jails, and occasionally to people on California state parole. Assistance is generally limited to cases regarding conditions of confinement. Further, the office does not typically assist or represent people in lawsuits in which money damages are the primary objective. Instead, the office focuses on cases in which a change in conditions is sought. The office attempts to resolve such cases informally, if possible (by advocating to prison officials), or through formal litigation. With regard to condition of confinement matters, the decision to assist with any particular case depends on the issue or problem presented, the chance of success, the amount of time and resource necessary to properly assist, the office's resources, staff availability and caseload. The Prison Law Office publishes and periodically updates The California State Prisoners Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to Prison and Parole Law. Click here for Ordering Information. The Prison Law Office is also happy to provide self-help and informational materials, some of which are published on their website, including a habeas corpus manual, parolee rights manual, and personal injury lawsuit packet, as well as material regarding administrative remedies, divorce, guard brutality, immigration, loss of personal property, plea bargains, release dates, workers' compensation, and worktime credits. If you or a family member believe the Prison Law Office can assist with one of the above issues, please feel free to contact their office. Letters concerning individuals and prison conditions can be addressed to: Prison Law Office General Delivery San Quentin, CA 94964. Due to the large number of inquiries, the Prison Law Office cannot accept telephone calls.
Prison Law Office confirmed this listing on July 13, 2023.
The Jailhouse Lawyers Manual is a free guide to legal rights and procedures designed for people in prison. It contains nine sections designed to help incarcerated people learn about their rights, file lawsuits in both state and federal court, attack their conviction or sentence, and address the conditions of their imprisonment. It also contains information about the rights of incarcerated people related to health, safety, religious freedom, and more. We suggest accessing the online version of the manual and mailing the relevant chapters to your incarcerated loved one.
The Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook is a free resource for people in prison who want to file a federal lawsuit addressing poor conditions in prison or abuse by prison staff. This guide will not help challenge convictions or sentences or provide guidance on actions in state courts. It also has 14 appendices that provide sample complaints, legal forms, and guidance on how to reach out to journalists, among other topics. You can download relevant chapters of the handbook and mail them to your incarcerated loved one or request to have a copy mailed to them.