Marlon T. Young v. Jeannie Kramer and Alana Acker

Summary

The court granted defendants’ motion for summary judgment in a prisoner’s Eighth Amendment medical-care case because the plaintiff failed to exhaust available administrative remedies under the Prison Litigation Reform Act. The court concluded that the plaintiff’s grievances did not adequately notify prison officials of the claims or, in one instance, were not fully appealed. The claims were dismissed without prejudice, and the case was closed.

Holdings

1. Young failed to exhaust available administrative remedies before bringing his claims because he did not complete Wisconsin's required inmate grievance and appeal process and his grievances did not provide sufficient notice of the claims litigated in this action.
2. Failure to exhaust is an affirmative defense that defendants must prove, and defendants met that burden on the summary-judgment record.
3. Claims dismissed for failure to exhaust administrative remedies must be dismissed without prejudice.

Questions Presented

1. Whether defendants established on summary judgment that Young failed to exhaust available administrative remedies before filing his Eighth Amendment medical-care claims.
2. Whether Young's inmate complaints provided prison officials sufficient notice of the claims concerning discontinuation of wound care, failure to treat an open wound, and failure to ensure adequate medical care.
3. Whether dismissal for failure to exhaust should be without prejudice.

Disposition

dismissed