Scott v. Kentucky Parole BD., 429 U.S. 60 (1976)

429 U.S.
60
97 S.Ct. 342
50 L.Ed.2d 218
Ewell SCOTT, etc., petitioner,

v.
KENTUCKY PAROLE BOARD et al
No. 74-6438
Supreme Court of the United States

November 2, 1976
On writ of certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth
Circuit.
Nov. 2, 1976.
PER CURIAM.
It appearing that petitioner Scott has been granted parole by the Kentucky
Parole Board, the judgment of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth
Circuit is hereby vacated, and the case is remanded to the Court of Appeals for
consideration of the question of mootness.
So ordered.
Mr. Justice STEVENS, with whom Mr. Justice BRENNAN and Mr. Justice
POWELL join, dissenting.
The Court granted certiorari to decide whether any constitutionally mandated

procedural safeguards apply to parole release hearings. At such a hearing a
prisoner may be denied parole, or he may be released subject to specified
conditions. The constitutional issue is whether either the outright denial, or the
imposition of parole conditions, has the kind of impact on liberty that must be
preceded by "due process." The question is extremely important,1 it has been
fully briefed and argued and, in my opinion, should now be decided.2
The Court postpones decision of the issue by sending the case back to the Court
of Appeals for its advice on the question whether the litigation is now moot.
This action might appear to be supported by Weinstein v. Bradford, 423 U.S.
147, 96 S.Ct. 347, 46 L.Ed.2d 350, a case which became moot because the
petitioner's sentence terminated prior to our decision, thus entirely eliminating
his interest in any controversy with his parole board.3 This case, however, is not
moot, as a brief reference to the facts will demonstrate.
On July 26, 1974, the petitioner Ewell Scott, filed a complaint alleging that in
November 1973 the Kentucky Parole Board denied him parole. He contended
that the denial of parole deprived him of liberty without due process of law
because the Parole Board had not provided him the procedural safeguards
required by the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.4 He sought
to represent similarly situated prisoners and requested an injunction requiring
the Parole Board to modify its procedures and such other relief as the court
might consider appropriate. Without bothering to effect service on the
defendants, the District Court dismissed the complaint. The Court of Appeals
affirmed in an unreported order and this Court granted certiorari, 423 U.S.
1031, 96 S.Ct. 561, 46 L.Ed.2d 404.
On November 26, 1975, shortly prior to our grant of certiorari, the petitioner
was paroled. The respondent Board then suggested that the case had become
moot. But, as petitioner points out in his reply, he remains subject to significant
restraints that might not have been imposed if he had received the kind of
hearing that he claims the Constitution requires. The petitioner is on "close
parole supervision," a restrictive status entailing parole conditions in addition to
those imposed as a routine matter. One special condition requires petitioner to
undergo outpatient treatment at a local mental health center. This parole
condition imposes a significant restraint on his liberty.
Petitioner claims that a fair hearing might have avoided this condition. If the
Court should decide this case in his favor on the merits, the Court
unquestionably would have power to order the objectionable condition removed
unless petitioner is accorded an appropriate hearing. For that reason petitioner
retains a direct and immediate interest in the outcome of this litigation, and the
Court retains the power to decide the case on the merits. It follows inexorably
that the case is not moot. "It is sufficient," as noted in Super Tire Engineering
Co. v. McCorkle, 416 U.S. 115, 125-126, 94 S.Ct. 1694, 40 L.Ed.2d 1, "that the
litigant show the existence of an immediate and definite governmental action or
policy that has adversely affected and continues to affect a present interest."
Although I have no doubt that the mootness issue will be correctly decided after
the proceedings on remand have run their course, the remand is nevertheless
unfortunate. As dispositions in each of the last three years demonstrate, the
underlying issue is one that is capable of repetition, yet review is repeatedly
evaded.5 Delay in deciding the merits will affect not only these litigants, but
also other pending litigation and parole procedures in every jurisdiction in the
country. A suggestion of mootness which this Court can readily decide should
not be permitted to have such far-reaching consequences.
10
I respectfully dissent.
Its manifest importance is demonstrated by (a) the vast number of parole

release decisions that are made every year; (b) the importance of each such
decision to the person affected by it; and (c) the extensive litigation, with
varying results, which has developed in the federal courts. The conflict in the
Circuits over this question is more than evident. Compare the present case,
Scott v. Kentucky Parole Board, No. 74-1899 (unpublished order Jan. 15,
1975), in which the Sixth Circuit held that the requirements of due process are
not applicable to parole release hearings, with the following: Brown v.
Lundgren, 528 F.2d 1050 (C.A.5 1976) (due process does not apply); United
States ex rel. Richerson v. Wolff, 525 F.2d 797 (C.A.7 1975) (due process
applies to the extent that a written statement of reasons must be given for denial
of parole), cert. denied 425 U.S. 914, 96 S.Ct. 1511, 47 L.Ed.2d 764; Bradford
v. Weinstein, 519 F.2d 728 (C.A.4 1974) (due process applies), vacated as
moot, 423 U.S. 147, 96 S.Ct. 347, 46 L.Ed.2d 350; Childs v. U. S. Board of
Parole, 167 U.S.App.D.C. 268, 511 F.2d 1270 (1974) (due process applies to
the extent that reasons must be given); United States ex rel. Johnson v.
Chairman, New York State Board of Parole, 500 F.2d 925 (C.A.2 1974) (due
process applies to the extent that reasons must be given), vacated as moot sub
nom. Regan v. Johnson, 419 U.S. 1015, 95 S.Ct. 488, 42 L.Ed.2d 289; Scarpa
v. U. S. Board of Parole, 477 F.2d 278 (C.A.5 1973) (en banc) (due process
does not apply), vacated and remanded to consider mootness, 414 U.S. 809, 94
S.Ct. 79, 38 L.Ed.2d 44, dismissed as moot, 501 F.2d 992 (1973); Menechino
v. Oswald, 430 F.2d 403 (C.A.2 1970) (due process does not apply to parole
hearings; questioned in United States ex rel. Johnson, supra ), cert. denied, 400
U.S. 1023, 91 S.Ct. 588, 27 L.Ed.2d 635. See also Burton v. Ciccone, 484 F.2d
1322 (C.A.8 1973) (parole board must follow its own rules, but implicitly
holding that due process does not apply).
The briefs and argument fully discuss the mootness issue as well as the merits.
The Weinstein opinion is unambiguous:
"It is undisputed that respondent was temporarily paroled on December 18,

1974, and that this status ripened into a complete release from supervision on
March 25, 1975. From that date forward it is plain that respondent can have no
interest whatever in the procedures followed by petitioners in granting parole."
423 U.S., at 148, 96 S.Ct. 347.
This rationale is, of course, inapplicable to this petitioner who remains in legal
custody. See In re Sturm, 11 Cal.3d 258, 264-265, 113 Cal.Rptr. 361, 364-365,
521 P.2d 97, 101 (1974); Ramer v. Saxbe, 173 U.S.App.D.C. 83, 91-92, 522
F.2d 695, 703-704 (1975); Workman v. Mitchell, 502 F.2d 1201, 1208 (C.A.9
1974); Morales v. Schmidt, 489 F.2d 1335, 1336 (C.A.7 1973), adhered to en
banc, 494 F.2d 85 (C.A.7 1974). This Court has noted that 35% 45% of all
paroles are revoked. See Morrissey v. Brewer, 408 U.S. 471, 479, 92 S.Ct.
2593, 33 L.Ed.2d 484. As long as a parolee faces such odds, he retains a
continuing interest in the procedures which will be followed at future parole
release hearings.
He contends that he should have received the procedural safeguards

encompassed in an adjudicatory-type hearing, including notice concerning the
issues and information the Board would be considering; access to the file and
other information the Board would rely upon; the opportunity to present
evidence and arguments to justify release and challenge or interpret evidence
already before the Board; representation by an attorney or lay advocate;
transcript or summary of testimony from the hearing; and a reasoned decision
by the Board. If the Court should hold that the Due Process Clause is
applicable, it would not, of course, follow that petitioner would be entitled to all
of the claimed safeguards. Cf. Morrissey v. Brewer, supra, 408 U.S. 471, at
488-490, 92 S.Ct. 2593, at 33 L.Ed.2d 484.
Scarpa v. U. S. Board of Parole, supra ; United States ex rel. Johnson v.

Chairman, New York State Board of Parole, supra ; Bradford v. Weinstein,
supra.

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429 U.S.

Ewell SCOTT, etc., petitioner,

Supreme Court of the United States

The Court granted certiorari to decide whether any constitutionally mandated

Its manifest importance is demonstrated by (a) the vast number of parole

The Weinstein opinion is unambiguous:

"It is undisputed that respondent was temporarily paroled on December 18,

He contends that he should have received the procedural safeguards

Scarpa v. U. S. Board of Parole, supra ; United States ex rel. Johnson v.

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