The Houston County Sheriff circulated a memo in November announcing that effective December 2, 2013, attorneys would not be able to have contact visits with their clients at the jail. Rather, they would have to use the public facilities requiring them to talk through glass with a phone. The set up lacked any privacy.
Following authorization by the Legal Committee for a challenge to the new policy, we contacted the County’s attorney to discuss the implementation of the new policy and provided him with our background research about the potential unconstitutionality of the policy. Although he recognized that there was no binding Eleventh Circuit precedent on this issue, he advised the Sheriff to rescind the policy to avoid litigation.
The Sheriff rescinded the policy making suit unnecessary.
The case is closed.