5-03/195.00 - Confidential/Legal Correspondence of Inmates

There shall be no limit set for the number of pieces of legal correspondence sent by any inmate.

An inmate may correspond confidentially with any of the following persons or entities:

• Any state or federal court;
• Any member of the State Bar (this includes out-of-state attorneys but not bar associations or legal societies);
• Any holder of public office; and
• Any sworn member of the Department or the Department of Corrections.

Inmates shall submit confidential/legal correspondence in unsealed, stamped and addressed envelopes.

All outgoing correspondence shall be examined for contraband, but employees shall refrain from reading the documents.  The employee accepting this correspondence shall place his initials and employee number on the flap of the envelope prior to forwarding the documents for delivery.  The inmate may be told that any reply will be mailed directly to him by the courts.

Legal advice, information on processing or receipts shall not be given to inmates.

Upon request, a Petition for Writ Form (SH-J-7) shall be provided to an inmate.