BOUNDS v. SMITH

No. 75-915.

430 U.S. 817 (1977)

BOUNDS, CORRECTION COMMISSIONER, ET AL. v. SMITH ET AL.

Supreme Court of United States.

Decided April 27, 1977.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Jacob L. Safron, Special Deputy Attorney General of North Carolina, argued the cause for petitioners. With him on the brief was Rufus L. Edmisten, Attorney General.

Barry Nakell, by appointment of the Court, 425 U.S. 968, argued the cause and filed a brief for respondents.*


MR. JUSTICE MARSHALL delivered the opinion of the Court.

The issue in this case is whether States must protect the right of prisoners to access to the courts by providing them with law libraries or alternative sources of legal knowledge. In Younger v. Gilmore, 404 U.S. 15 (1971), we held per curiam that such services are constitutionally mandated. Petitioners, officials of the State of North Carolina, ask us

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