United States Supreme Court Cases & Opinions

U.S. Supreme Court

Boag v. MacDougall, 454 U.S. 364 (1982)

Boag v. MacDougall

No. 80-6845

Decided January 11, 1982

454 U.S. 364

Syllabus

Petitioner state prisoner filed a crudely written pro se complaint in Federal District Court alleging wrongful solitary confinement in a certain prison facility. The District Court dismissed the complaint on the ground of mootness because petitioner in the meantime had been transferred to another facility. The Court of Appeals affirmed, but on the ground that the action was frivolous because it did not state a claim upon which relief could be granted.

Held: The Court of Appeals' ground for dismissing the complaint was erroneous as a matter of law. Federal courts must construe inartful pleading liberally in pro se actions, Haines v. Kerner, 404 U. S. 519, and, so construed, the complaint here states a cause of action.

Certiorari granted; 642 F.2d 455, reversed and remanded.