Meyer v. Stacken, No. 17-cv–01761 (D. Minn. 2019)
Nature of Case: Plaintiff, a person indefinitely detained in Minnesota’s civil commitment program at MSOP, brought a federal civil rights suit alleging that his First Amendment and Due Process rights were violated when MSOP officials denied him visitation rights with nieces and nephews. State defendants sought to dismiss the case.
Holding: Federal trial court observed that civil detainees are “entitled to more considerate treatment and conditions of confinement than prisoners” and refused to dismiss the lawsuit.