procunier navarette argued october decided february respondent state prisoner brought action pursuant petitioner prison officials alleging inter alia negligent interference respondent outgoing mail violation constitutional rights first fourteenth amendments district granted summary judgment petitioners claim basis asserted qualified immunity liability damages appeals reversed holding prisoners entitled first fourteenth amendment protection outgoing mail claim question stated cause action summary judgment petitioners improper viewing evidence light favorable respondent petitioners entitled prevail matter law held appeals erred reversing district summary judgment petitioners pp petitioners state prison officials entitled immunity unless knew reasonably known action took respect respondent mail violate federal constitutional rights took action malicious intention cause deprivation constitutional rights injury respondent wood strickland pp established first fourteenth amendment right protecting state prisoners mail privileges time question therefore matter law basis rejecting immunity defense ground petitioners knew known alleged conduct violated constitutional right pp neither petitioners immunity defense overruled standard authorizing liability defendant state official acted malicious intention deprive plaintiff constitutional right cause injury since claim question charged negligent conduct intentional injury white delivered opinion brennan stewart marshall blackmun powell rehnquist joined burger post stevens post filed dissenting opinions sanford svetcov deputy attorney general california argued cause petitioners brief evelle younger attorney general jack winkler chief assistant attorney general edward assistant attorney general eric collins deputy attorney general michael adams argued cause filed brief respondent justice white delivered opinion respondent navarette inmate soledad prison california events revealed occurred filed second amended complaint january charging six prison officials various types conduct allegedly violative constitutional rights three defendants subordinate officials soledad three supervisory officials director state department corrections warden assistant warden soledad first three nine claims relief alleged wrongful interference navarette outgoing mail first claim charged three subordinate officers charge mail handling failed mail various items correspondence months respondent incarcerated soledad september december items described numbered paragraphs included letters legal assistance groups law students news media inmates state prisons well personal friends items returned navarette defendants refused send registered mail navarette requested alleged none items ever reached intended recipient interference confiscation asserted knowing disregard applicable prisoner mail regulations navarette constitutional rights including rights free speech due process guaranteed first fifth fourteenth amendments constitution three supervisory officers alleged knowingly condoned conduct conspired subordinates forbidden ends second claim relief alleged wrongful failure mail items correspondence asserted interference confiscation conducted bad faith disregard navarette rights third claim posed failures mail claimed interference confiscation occurred three subordinate officers negligently inadvertently misapplied prison mail regulations supervisory officers negligent ly failed provide sufficient training direction subordinates assertedly violation navarette constitutional rights petitioners moved dismissal failure state claim relief granted alternatively summary judgment affidavits support motion opposing also district order without opinion granted summary judgment petitioners first three claims dismissed remaining claims failure state federal claim appeals reversed first three claims navarette enomoto held first prisoners entitled first fourteenth amendment protection outgoing mail navarette allegations sufficient encompass proof entitle relief damages second ruled summary judgment first two claims improper issues fact tried particularly respect claim reasonable good faith belief state official conduct lawful even fact constitutes complete defense claim damages third appeals held navarette allegations state officers negligently deprived constitutional rights state cause action summary judgment third purported claim improper case counts one two viewing evidence light favorable navarette unable say appellees entitled prevail matter law granted certiorari question us whether appeals correctly reversed district judgment respect navarette third claim relief alleging negligent interference claimed constitutional right support motion summary judgment petitioners argued record immune liability damages hence entitled judgment matter law claim shared absolute immunity accorded judges prosecutors entitled qualified immunity accorded officials involved scheuer rhodes wood strickland appeals appeared agree petitioners entitled claimed degree immunity held nevertheless entitled summary judgment view issues fact resolved facts viewed favorably respondent held petitioners entitled judgment matter law without disagreeing petitioners enjoyed qualified immunity damages liability respondent defends judgment appeals proper application cases construing although recognized enacting congress must intended expose state officials damages liability circumstances section consistently construed intending wholesale revocation immunity afforded government officials legislators judges prosecutors held absolutely immune liability damages tenney brandhove pierson ray imbler pachtman qualified immunity damages available state governor president state university officers members state national guard scheuer rhodes supra true local school board members wood strickland supra superintendent state hospital donaldson policemen pierson ray supra see imbler pachtman supra agree petitioners prison officials officers absolutely immune liability damages suit rely qualified immunity described scheuer rhodes supra wood strickland supra scheuer declared varying scope qualified immunity available officers executive branch government variation dependent upon scope discretion responsibilities office circumstances reasonably appeared time action liability sought based existence reasonable grounds belief formed time light circumstances coupled belief affords basis qualified immunity executive officers acts performed course official conduct first part wood strickland rule immunity defense unavailing petitioners constitutional right allegedly infringed clearly established time challenged conduct knew known right knew known conduct violated constitutional norm petitioners claim conduct involved case took place established first amendment right protecting mailing privileges state prisoners hence federal right known essential agreement petitioners respect also agree entitled judgment matter law ruling petitioners conduct encroached navarette first amendment rights appeals relied two decisions one well upon martinez procunier supp nd cal opinion appeals said essential agreement relied earlier opinions affirming judgment martinez procunier ground constitutional rights addressees prisoner correspondence involved prison officials interfered prisoner outgoing mail procunier martinez question rights prisoner left open referred tension traditional policy judicial restraint regarding prisoner complaints need protect constitutional rights led federal courts adopt variety widely inconsistent approaches problem constitutional challenges censorship prisoner mail absence generally accepted standard testing constitutionality prison mail censorship regulations courts appeals said maintained hands posture others extended various degrees protection prisoners mail referred relevant pronouncements courts ninth circuit one review apparent procunier defendant martinez suit one maintaining established constitutional right protecting prison mail mail regulations challenged respondent relies hyland procunier supp nd cal gilmore lynch supp nd cal aff sub nom younger gilmore northern nelson supp nd cal payne whitmore supp nd cal brenneman madigan supp nd cal none cases deals rights convicted prisoners mail none furnishes adequate basis claiming clearly established constitutional right protecting navarette correspondence involved case whether state law evaluated reference opinions courts appeals local district clearly established first fourteenth amendment right respect correspondence convicted prisoners matter law therefore basis rejecting immunity defense ground petitioners knew known alleged conduct violated constitutional right reasonably expected aware constitutional right yet declared petitioners act disregard established law conduct reasonably characterized good faith wood strickland neither petitioners immunity defense overruled second branch wood strickland standard authorize liability official acted malicious intention deprive plaintiff constitutional right cause injury part rule speaks intentional injury contemplating actor intends consequences conduct see restatement second torts third claim relief concerned however charges negligent conduct normally implies although actor subjected plaintiff unreasonable risk intend harm injury fact resulted see comment claims complaint alleged intentional conduct disregard navarette constitutional rights claim understood parties treated limited negligence prison officers charged negligent inadvertent interference mail supervisory personnel negligent failure provide proper training extent malicious intent harm ground denying immunity consideration clearly implicated negligence claim us accordingly conclude district correct entering summary judgment petitioners third claim relief appeals erred holding otherwise judgment appeals reversed leon friedman joel gora alvin bronstein filed brief american civil liberties union amicus curiae urging affirmance footnotes every person color statute ordinance regulation custom usage state territory subjects causes subjected citizen person within jurisdiction thereof deprivation rights privileges immunities secured constitution laws shall liable party injured action law suit equity proper proceeding redress named subordinate officials two correctional counselors soledad member prison staff charge handling incoming outgoing prisoner mail complaint also referred unnamed defendants iv regulations promulgated january permitted inmate send letters persons approved correspondence list plus letters authorized director rule except permission institutional head correspondence inmates prohibited inmate also advised may send receive letters pertain criminal activity lewd obscene defamatory contain prison gossip discussion inmates otherwise inappropriate nothing rules shall deprive correspondence attorney courts jurisdiction matters legitimate concern claims concerned termination law student visitation program respondent participated removal respondent post prison librarian claims realleged substance claims sought hold supervisory officials liable upon theory vicarious rather personal liability nine claims also claimed conspiracy violation appeals also reversed ruling district respect claims theory termination denial prison privileges prisoner legal activities behalf inmates impermissible interference constitutional right access courts since issue related question granted certiorari express view resolution claims appeals affirmed district dismissal claims based vicarious liability claims also affirmed dismissal claims predicated neither issues raised questions presented petition certiorari whether negligent failure mail certain prisoner outgoing letters cause action section whether removal prisoner prison law librarian termination law visitation program participated cause action civil rights act either knowingly negligently interfering prisoner right access courts whether deliberate refusal mail certain prisoner correspondence prior procunier martinez refusal send certain correspondence registered mail cause action violation first amendment right free expression courts appeals generally accorded prison jail administrators performing discretionary functions qualified immunity monetary liability knell bensinger hoitt vitek dewell lawson anderson nosser modified rehearing see bryan jones cert denied citing mccloskey maryland lee tahash krupnick crouse pope daggett citing inter alia sostre mcginnis censorship personal correspondence must support rational constitutionally acceptable concept prison system jackson godwin censorship prisoner mail must supported compelling state interest wilkinson skinner requiring clear present danger jurisdictional statement filed procunier stated vast majority reported cases held restrictions extent character prisoners correspondence examination censorship thereof inherent incidents conduct penal institutions noted federal courts widely diverging views regarding scope propriety federal intervention matters internal prison regulation particularly respect inmate mail jurisdictional statement filed procunier martinez hyland procunier district enjoined correctional officials requiring parolee obtain advance permission speeches public gatherings opinion discuss rights prisoners gilmore lynch concerned regulations limiting prisoner access legal materials mutual legal assistance decision rested prisoners right reasonable access courts northern nelson upheld inmate right receive newspaper necessary effective exercise plaintiff right practice muslim religion payne whitmore affirmed inmates first amendment right receive newspapers magazines theory decision prison rules must bear reasonable relationship valid prison goals rules infringe upon particularly important rights require proportionately stronger justification contained discussion concerning either importance prisoner correspondence rights type correspondence rules reasonable toward end relevant period may brenneman madigan held pretrial detainees first amendment right correspondence recognized however detainees stand footing convicted inmates although items correspondence respondent claims interference concerned legal matters addressed lawyers respondent foreclosed asserting claim respect mail interference based infringement right access courts claim dismissed prejudice earlier phase case order sw nd points authorities motion dismiss filed connection present complaint april respondent stated claim mail interference purport allege denial access courts explained ruling defendants previous motion dismiss february dismissed plaintiff claim mail interference insofar alleged denial access courts record thus occasion address case assumption navarette mailing privileges protected constitutional rule petitioners reasonably expected aware inquire whether petitioners knew known conduct violation constitutional proscription disposition case immunity grounds address petitioners submissions afford remedy negligent deprivation constitutional rights state prisoners first fourteenth amendment rights outgoing mail chief justice burger dissenting dissent opinion departs practice considering question upon certiorari granted questions fairly comprised therein rule agreed consider one question whether negligent failure mail certain prisoner outgoing letters cause action section decides different question whether petitioners case immune damages negligent conduct alleged count three navarette complaint question comprised within question agreed consider case within exception practice see laboratories university foundation stern gressman practice ed district granted summary judgment petitioners without opinion claim petitioners confiscated navarette mail course negligent inadvertent application mail regulations meaning allegation means clear navarette may intended allege petitioners aware nature mail intentionally confiscated understand prison regulations may navarette intended claim petitioners apart understanding prison mail regulations confiscated mail mistaken nature appeals appears adopted latter interpretation allegation although opinion entirely clear described pertinent cause action alleging acts committed negligently decided complaint alleged negligent acts appeals addressed issue whether negligent act give rise liability decided deprivation rights need purposeful actionable held navarette allegation state officers negligently deprived rights state cause action question us whether deprivation constitutional right negligent conduct actionable neither language legislative history indicates congress intended provide remedies negligent acts hold one intend cause exhibit deliberate indifference risk causing harm gives rise constitutional claim liable damages remand case appeals construe ambiguous complaint determine whether allegation regarding misapplication prison mail regulations cause action justice stevens dissenting today decision coupled donaldson strongly implies every defendant action entitled assert qualified immunity damage liability immunity doctrine developed careful limit holdings specific officials insist considered inquiry common law essential precondition recognition proper immunity official limits abandoned donaldson without explanation without reference common law held standard judging immunity superintendent mental hospital standard school officials today purports apply standard superintendent prison system various correction officers quarrel extension qualified immunity defense state agents public servant conscientiously job best ability rarely ever exposed risk damage liability makes qualified immunity available potential defendants especially important contours affirmative defense explained care precision unfortunately believe today opinion significantly changes nature defense overlooks critical importance carefully examining factual basis defense case asserted facts case developed sketchily district granted motion summary judgment must accept navarette version facts true appeals remanded six claims trial claims tell us prison officials prevented navarette corresponding legal assistance groups law students news media personal friends inmates legal problems expertise mail deliberately confiscated guards regarded navarette troublesome mishandled simply guards careless performing official duties establish defense defendants except procunier filed affidavit stating made effort comply prison mail regulations handling navarette mail navarette affidavit challenges assertion according navarette prison warden took position despite contrary prison regulations officials right confiscate mail feel right necessary record navarette also claims activities led authorities punish taking away job prison librarian seizing mail record state defendants established good faith heart defense manner defendant carried job public official entitled immunity acts performed regular course duty sincerely reasonably believed acting within sphere official responsibility see scheuer rhodes kind evidence adequately support defense vary widely case case defendants especially without policymaking responsibility may establish defense showing abided institution regulations practices officials whose exercise discretion given greater deference courts see scheuer rhodes supra may correspondingly greater duty consider legal implications conduct wood strickland pointed two specific instances official might forfeit defense deviating reasonable performance job official carry official duties properly chooses course conduct knows know unconstitutional similarly official steps outside proper role uses powers inflict constitutional harm individual reasons unrelated performance duty selective malicious enforcement law good faith standard navarette may well able defeat defendants affirmative defense good faith alleged therefore must assume defendants fact act within sphere accepted responsibilities carelessly disregarded standards superiors directed follow unable make threshold showing necessary establish good faith whether showing made case depends resolution conflict navarette allegations negligence statements defendants affidavit defendants fare better limit attention two examples bad faith set wood strickland supra wood stated actual malice intent cause constitutional injury good faith defendant may benefit defense misuses powers singling plaintiff special unfair injuries case malice alleged plaintiff claims must assume proved evidence might show defendants intentionally confiscated navarette mail punishment negligently mislaid letters jury might find defendants animus toward navarette tainted handling mail defense denied even respect harm caused negligence qualifying previous teaching defense regard evidence defendants ill toward plaintiff totally irrelevant claim may harm caused negligent performance duties wood also noted plaintiff may successfully rebut claim immunity based defendant performance official duties demonstrating defendant knew known acting unconstitutionally think correct concluding first amendment applicability inmate correspondence well established defendants known interfering prisoner routine mail unconstitutional however foreclose argument official neglect alleged case implicated different constitutional right prisoner right access courts navarette right access courts legal assistance cutting communications law students legal assistance groups violated right lower echelon employees may obligation read advance sheets jury might conclude least defendants known least navarette mail entitled constitutional protection certainly question whether correction officers charged knowledge constitutional right communicate law students legal assistance groups better answered rather trial cf donaldson donaldson sum persuaded acted unwisely reaching decide merits affirmative defense evidence heard record developed completely foreclose possibility plaintiff might able disprove defense yet even pleaded properly accordingly respectfully dissent decision decide question properly presented way decides question thus wood strickland stated therefore specific context school discipline hold school board member immune liability damages knew reasonably known action took within sphere official responsibility violate constitutional rights student affected took action malicious intention cause deprivation constitutional rights injury student emphasis added imbler pachtman stated noted earlier decisions immunities products judicial fiat officials different branches government differently amenable suit rather predicated upon considered inquiry immunity historically accorded relevant official common law interests behind perhaps good reason see whirl kern consult common law gauge scope jailer immunity cf imbler pachtman supra wood strickland supra instead seems rely unarticulated notion prison administrators deserve much immunity governors school administrators hospital administrators policemen ante also elides distinction discretionary ministerial tasks cf scheuer rhodes one defendant case joined simply charge handling incoming outgoing prisoner mail although scope defendant duties clear may well performing wholly ministerial chores bagging delivering prison mail allowing summary judgment favor strongly suggests nature job irrelevant whether immunity purposes decision also makes assumption law applies case like shall assume without deciding guard negligently misreads regulations improperly interferes prisoner mail violated procunier filed neither answer affidavit affidavit filed defendants insofar handled approved returned otherwise dealt mail apolinar navarette actions times taken good faith effort comply applicable regulations force director department corrections superintendent institution time maliciously interfere confiscate plaintiff mail conspire others act violation applicable regulations record principle turned fashioning specific rules wood strickland supra example said goal doctrine allow officials jobs faithfully without fear owever worded immunity must public school officials understand action taken fulfillment responsibilities within bounds reason circumstances punished need exercise discretion undue timidity referring wood strickland donaldson stated decision relevant question jury whether knew reasonably known action took within sphere official responsibility violate constitutional rights donaldson took action malicious intention cause deprivation constitutional rights injury donaldson see supra access courts mails constitutionally protected since ex parte hull held state constitutionally refuse mail prisoner inartful pleadings courts johnson avery recognized right access courts included right access legal assistance johnson held absence alternative sources assistance prisoners must allowed consult inmate younger gilmore summarily affirmed decision ordering california department corrections heed johnson decision abandon prison rule making difficult inmates get legal help see gilmore lynch supp nd cal time acts question right access courts clearly included right communicate legal assistance groups law students johnson avery clearly stands general proposition inmate right access involves corollary right obtain assistance preparing communication given corollary right fail see state least absence countervailing interest appearing prevent inmate seeking legal assistance bona fide attorneys working organization civil liberties union nolan scafati omitted although navarette longer relies access rights establish defendants liability ante surely may attempt prove violation rights rebut claim good faith license taken normal pleading requirements perhaps best illustrated grant immunity defendant procunier director state department corrections filed neither answer affidavit record shows procunier may expressly advised counsel mail regulations unconstitutionally enforced despite advice may deliberately instructed subordinates punish uniquely bothersome even remote possibility must considered summary judgment approved judge aldrich put even andabata holds field someone comes forward defeat mack cape elizabeth school