U.S. Appeals Court: COST OF CONFINEMENT EXCESSIVE FINES CLAUSE.

Wright v. Riveland 219 F.3d 905 (9th Cir. 2000). An inmate brought a class action suit against the secretary of a state corrections department challenging a state law that authorized a 35% MENT deduction from all funds received by inmates from outside sources. The federal district court dismissed the constitutional claims but declared the law void in part to the extent that it impaired certain federal statutory rights. The appeals court affirmed in part, reversed in part and remanded. The appeals court held that the 35% deduction was not a "tax" within the meaning of the Tax Injunction Act but that the inmate class had sufficiently demonstrated standing to challenge the statute as violating the Excessive Fines Clause. The appeals court held that the ERISA anti-alienation provision did not prevent the corrections department from deducting funds under the state law from benefits received from ERISA-qualified pension plans. The appeals court refused to consider claims that the corrections department failed to p ay interest on personal inmate savings accounts. (Washington Department of Corrections)