Supreme Court Votes 8-1 to Reinstate Inmate’s Lawsuit Over Alleged Mistreatment

After a federal district court allowed the suit to move forward, an appeals court dismissed the case because a document was filed late.

Associate Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Neil Gorsuch in the East Conference Room of the Supreme Court in Washington on June 1, 2017. Alex Wong/Getty Images

The U.S. Supreme Court on June 12 revived on an 8-1 vote a federal inmate’s stalled lawsuit over alleged mistreatment in prison after it was dismissed for missing a court filing deadline.

The new ruling is concerned with procedural rules—as opposed to the merits of the inmate’s lawsuit—and may make it easier for prisoners to pursue appeals.