In 2011, the ACLU of Montana sued on behalf of an inmate at Montana State Prison who was being denied the ability to correspond with his family in Spanish. That lawsuit was settled in March 2012 when the prison committed to making good-faith efforts to have correspondence in a foreign language translated within 10 days. The prison’s previous “English-only” policy violated the First Amendment right to free speech and the Fourteenth Amendment Right to equal protection.

Attorney(s)

Jon Ellingson, Jennifer Giuttari, Elizabeth Griffing

Date filed

June 30, 2011

Court

United States District Court for the District of Montana Helena Division

Status

Closed

Case number

6:10-cv-00060-RKS