Greg Brown: The Law Library

In the revised podcast episode, Greg Brown explores the complexities of his lawsuit against prison officials for banning inmate conversations in the prison law library and the removal of self-help legal books. Brown references the pivotal Supreme Court decision, Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School District No. 26 v. Pico, which determined that institutions cannot capriciously withdraw access to materials once provided, without proper justification. He draws a comparison between schools and prisons, suggesting that the same rule should apply to correctional institutions. Brown stresses the importance of legal resources for inmates who, despite not being formally trained in law, are expected to meet the same legal standards as lawyers in Washington state courts. He points out a history of court cases that support this standard, going back to the 1980s, and argues that the actions to remove books and restrict communication in the law library are intentional efforts to suppress prisoner litigation.