Cal. Codes » Penal Code / PART 3. OF IMPRISONMENT AND THE DEATH PENALTY / TITLE 1. IMPRISONMENT OF MALE PRISONERS IN STATE PRISONS / CHAPTER 3. Civil Rights of Prisoners / ARTICLE 1. Civil Rights
California Codes

Cal. Penal Code § 2600 (2026)

Civil Rights

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(a)A person sentenced to imprisonment in a state prison or to imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170 may during that period of confinement be deprived of such rights, and only such rights, as is reasonably related to legitimate penological interests.

(b)Nothing in this section shall be construed to overturn the decision in Thor v. Superior Court, 5 Cal. 4th 725.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 99 cases (9 in the last 5 years), 1955–2025 · leading case: Donaldson v. Superior Court, 672 P.2d 110 (Cal. 1983).
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Donaldson v. Superior Court, 672 P.2d 110 (Cal. 1983). · cites it 4× “Although based in part on an interpretation of two 1975 statutes, Penal Code sections 2600 and 2601, De Lancie was clearly not a simple application of the statutory language.”
In re Cummings, 640 P.2d 1101 (Cal. 1982). · cites it 8× “Penal Code section 2600, enacted in 1975, provides that a prisoner "may .”
People v. Flinner, 476 P.3d 240 (Cal. 2020). “) Penal Code section 2600, subdivision (a) provides that an inmate may be deprived of those rights only “as is reasonably related to legitimate penological interests.”
Thor v. Superior Court, 855 P.2d 375 (Cal. 1993). · cites it 3× “(Pen. Code, § 2600.) I. Real party in interest Howard Andrews (Andrews) is confined to the California Medical Facility at Vacaville serving a life term.”
Bailey v. Loggins, 654 P.2d 758 (Cal. 1982). · cites it 4× “Penal Code sections 2600 and 2601 govern the rights of inmates in California prisons.”
In re Calhoun, 121 Cal. App. 4th 1315 (Cal. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 2× “” (Pen. Code, § 2600.) As a result of the 1994 amendment, the Keyhea injunction now “has the force of statutory law.”
Brooks v. Mercy Hosp., 1 Cal. App. 5th 1 (Cal. Ct. App. 2016). “Hence, a prisoner may be deprived of only such rights *7 as is reasonably related to legitimate penological interests (Pen. Code, § 2600) and the prisoner otherwise retains civil rights, including the right to initiate civil actions (Pen.”
In re Brandt, 599 P.2d 89 (Cal. 1979). · cites it 4× “(Pen. Code, § 2600.) He therefore may not prohibit inmate-parolee *140 correspondence solely on the ground that it constitutes Union business.”
Austin v. Medicis, 21 Cal. App. 5th 577 (Cal. Ct. App. 2018). “1797-1798; Pen. Code, § 2600, added by Stats. 1941, ch.”
In re Jordan, 526 P.2d 523 (Cal. 1974). · cites it 6× “Although "lawyer" is defined in section 950 to include those "authorized to practice law in any state or nation," Penal Code section 2600, subdivision (2) (fn.”
McCollum v. California Dep't of Corr. & Rehab., 647 F.3d 870 (9th Cir. 2011). “§ 2000cc-l; Cal.Penal Code § 2600. Putting that principle into practice is easier said than done and over time the state has faced a variety of suits by inmates to establish the contours of their rights under federal and state law.”
People v. Thomas, 566 P.2d 228 (Cal. 1977). · cites it 2× “Code, § 2085), to censor the inmate's correspondence except with attorneys or public officials (Pen. Code, § 2600), ..." [5] Persons in the small class of addicts who voluntarily commit themselves to the CRC or are committed without prior conviction of crime (§ 3100 et seq.”
Show all 99 citing cases →
Cal. Penal Code § 2600(2): 1 case
Martinez v. Procunier, 354 F. Supp. 1092 (N.D. Cal. 1973).
Cal. Penal Code § 2600(a): 1 case
Parker, Springer Jr., Anderson v. Comm. for Sustainable Ret. in Support of Initiative, 314 P.3d 100 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2013).
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