Appeals court delays Arizona prison health system takeover

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order late Friday to temporarily block the transfer of Arizona’s prison health system to a court-appointed receiver, a move that had been scheduled to take effect on Monday. The appellate court acknowledged that the state has not complied with a 2023 injunction but raised questions about the extent of federal judicial authority over state prison operations.

The court left in place the decision to appoint Annette Chambers-Smith as receiver and her authority to create operational plans for staffing, financing, and office space. However, the actual transfer of control of the health system to Chambers-Smith is paused until December 7, when state attorneys will argue that the district judge exceeded her authority under the Prison Litigation Reform Act.

Until the appellate court hears arguments, the prison health system remains under the control of Ryan Thornell, the state prisons chief. State lawyers conceded that care for 25,000 inmates does not meet the standards agreed to in 2023 but argued that the district judge failed to acknowledge recent progress. The appellate judges noted that the state has a strong public interest in protecting its sovereignty over the prison system while also emphasizing the need to prevent violations of inmates' constitutional rights to adequate medical care.

Read the full story at kjzz.org.