In Re Grimes

Respondent, together with other inmates at the Humboldt County Jail, filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus, claiming that appellant violated his constitutional rights by replacing direct dial pay telephones in the jail with collect-only telephones. The essence of respondent’s complaint is that the public defender’s office and some private attorneys and other county offices refused to accept collect calls from jail inmates, thereby compromising his access to counsel and the courts.

After several hearings were conducted at which evidence was taken, including petitions, returns, denials, and argument of counsel, the trial court ordered appellant to install and maintain a special telephone line directly connecting the Humboldt County Jail and the Humboldt County Public Defender’s office for use by respondent and fellow inmates at the jail without cost. The facts pertinent to this appeal are as follows.

The Humboldt County Jail (hereafter the jail) formerly employed a coin-operated pay telephone system for use by the inmates. The jail administration and the telephone company, however, perceived abuses with this system. Pacific Bell objected to the costs associated with…