Supreme Court Rejects Arizona's Request to Postpone Prison Healthcare Takeover
The U.S. Supreme Court denied Arizona's last-minute appeal to delay a court-ordered takeover of prison medical services, set to begin on Oct. 19.
In a Thursday ruling, Justice Elena Kagan turned down Arizona's eleventh-hour petition to stall a federally mandated takeover of prison health care, which will start on Oct. 19 for about 25,000 incarcerated individuals. The state had asked the high court to pause the transition while it contested the takeover decision and the selection of former Ohio corrections director Annette Chambers-Smith to lead the effort. Earlier rejections by lower courts left the Supreme Court as the final avenue, and its denial leaves the appointment intact.
The move follows a decade-long series of complaints, contempt fines and a 2021 injunction after the state failed to remedy constitutional violations in its prison medical system. U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver ordered the takeover earlier this year, concluding that Arizona had not achieved even minimal compliance. The Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Re-entry has not responded to requests for comment.
Why it matters
It ensures federal oversight of prison health care after years of inadequate treatment for inmates.
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