Institutions and Parole Operations Legal Team

Assistant General Counsel, Brenda A. Lewis

The Institutions and Parole Operations Legal Team provides advice and functions as house counsel to the administration and facilities and parole staff on a broad spectrum of issues that pertain to inmates, wards and parolees. Examples of issues that are handled by this unit include use of force, mail and visiting, religion, discipline, and privacy. Also, the Institutions and Parole Operations Legal Team manages major non-health care class action lawsuits involving the Department.

Legal Advice (House Counsel Functions)

Attorneys in the Institutions and Parole Operations Legal Team provide comprehensive legal advice to the Department, such as

• Providing opinions on non-health care policy issues of first impression concerning inmates, wards and parolees, as requested by the departmental administration and facilities. Some of the issues addressed include inmate housing and classification, DNA testing of inmates and wards, inmate rights to practice their religion, treaty law relating to inmates who are foreign nationals and the elimination of rape and sexual misconduct in the prison system.

• Reviewing regulations and policies of the Department, for inmate, ward and parolee issues.

• Providing or participating in training for departmental managers and staff.

Inmate Habeas Corpus Petitions

Prison inmates file habeas corpus petitions in state and federal court to challenge their conditions of confinement. Institutions Legal Team attorneys monitor habeas corpus petitions and work with the Attorney General to develop strategies to defend those petitions or resolve them via settlement.

Class Action Lawsuit Management
The Institutions Legal Team takes an active role in all aspects of several major class action cases against the Department. The class action lawsuits involve disability accommodations for inmates and wards, use of force, and several other matters. Attorneys in the Institutions Legal Team are responsible for monitoring, supervising, and assuring compliance with orders stemming from these class actions.