Hutto v. Finney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hutto v. Finney |
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| Argued February 21, 1978 Decided June 23, 1978 |
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| Full case name | Terrell Don Hutto, et al. v. Robert Finney, et al. |
| Docket nos. | 76-1660 |
| Citations | 437 U.S. 678 (more)
98 S. Ct. 2565; 57 L. Ed. 2d 522
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| Prior history |
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| Argument | Oral argument |
| Opinion Announcement | Opinion announcement |
| Holding | |
| Upheld a number of limitations placed on the Arkansas Department of Corrections including a limit of punitive isolation to 30 days, a limit on the number of men in each cell, a requirement that each man have a bunk, and the discontinuation of a non-nutritious "grue" diet. Ignoring these limitations would constitute cruel and unusual punishment. | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Stevens, joined by Brennan, Stewart, Marshall, Blackmun; White (Part I); Burger, Powell (Parts I and II-A) |
| Concurrence | Brennan |
| Concur/dissent | Powell, joined by Burger; White, Rehnquist (dissent) |
| Dissent | Rehnquist, joined by White |
Hutto v. Finney was an important case decided by the Supreme Court in 1978. It was about the conditions in prisons run by the Arkansas Department of Correction. This legal fight lasted for almost ten years, from 1969 to 1978.
This case was special because it was the first time a person in prison successfully sued a prison system. The lawsuit helped make it clear that some of the punishments used in Arkansas prisons were not fair or acceptable. The Supreme Court decided to hear the case after it had been heard by a lower court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. This process is called granting a certiorari.
Why This Case Was Important
The Supreme Court's decision in Hutto v. Finney set new rules for how prisons could treat people. The Court said that certain actions by the Arkansas prison system were "cruel and unusual punishment." This is against the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
What the Court Decided
The Court made several important decisions about the Arkansas prisons:
- Time in isolation: They limited how long a person could be kept in isolation as punishment. It could not be more than 30 days.
- Number of people in cells: They set a limit on how many people could be in each prison cell.
- Beds for everyone: They required that every person in prison must have their own bunk or bed.
- Proper food: They stopped the use of a special "grue" diet, which was not healthy or nutritious.
The Court made it clear that if prisons ignored these rules, it would be seen as cruel and unusual punishment. This case helped improve conditions for people in prisons across the country.
