Filed Date: May 23, 2017
Case Ongoing
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On May 23, 2017, the Human Rights Defense Center (HRDC) filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The case was assigned to Judge Jeffrey Helmick. The plaintiff sued the Management and Training Corporation (MTC), doing business as North Central Correctional Complex, under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. MTC’s mail policy prohibited prisoners from receiving books through the mail if the books had not been pre-approved by MTC or if the sender was not on a pre-approved vendor list. HRDC alleged that MTC censored HRDC’s publications in violation of HRDC’s free speech rights under the First Amendment, as well as HRDC’s rights to due process and equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment. Represented by private counsel, the plaintiff sought declaratory relief, injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys’ fees.
On the same day that it filed the complaint, the plaintiff moved for a preliminary injunction prohibiting the MTC from enforcing its pre-approval mail policy. The case settled, however, before the court could rule on this motion.
On July 24, 2017, the parties reached a nationwide settlement agreement that resolved the issues both in this case and in Prison Legal News v. Management & Training Corporation (Case No. 2:16-cv-01174) in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. MTC agreed to modify its mail policy to allow the delivery of publications to prisoners without using an approved vendors list and discontinue bans on publications on the basis of sender. MTC also agreed to pay HRDC $150,000 in damages and attorneys’ costs. The settlement terms applied to all of MTC’s facilities throughout the country.
The case was dismissed with prejudice on August 17, 2017. In the event of a breach of the settlement agreement, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico retains jurisdiction to enforce the settlement agreement. The settlement agreement does not state a time period for which the terms of the agreement will be in effect.
Summary Authors
Rebecca Strauss (6/25/2018)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/60923858/parties/human-rights-defense-center-v-management-training-corporation/
Helmick, Jeffrey James (Ohio)
Gerhardstein, Alphonse A. (Ohio)
Marshall, Daniel (Florida)
Mutamba, Masimba (Florida)
Neelakanta, Sabarish (Florida)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/60923858/human-rights-defense-center-v-management-training-corporation/
Last updated Oct. 19, 2025, 9:54 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Multi-LexSum (in sample)
Prison Legal News
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 23, 2017
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Human Rights Defense Center, the parent organization and publisher of Prison Legal News
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Management & Training Corporation (Marion), Private Entity/Person
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Northern District of Ohio 3:17-cv-01082
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Content of Injunction:
Develop anti-discrimination policy
Preliminary relief request withdrawn/mooted
Amount Defendant Pays: $150,000.00
Issues
General/Misc.: