Christopher Bell v. Khelleh Konteh, 450 F.3d 651 (6th Cir. 2006). · Go Syfert
Christopher Bell v. Khelleh Konteh, 450 F.3d 651 (6th Cir. 2006). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
92 citation events (92 in the last 25 years) across 9 distinct courts.
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discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Mitchell v. Lamarca
E.D. Mich. · 2024 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the plra is dismissal without prejudice.
discussed Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Bowman v. Wayne County Sheriff
E.D. Mich. · 2024 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the plra is dismissal without prejudice.
examined Cited as authority (verbatim quote) Tietz v. Corizon Health, Inc. (3×) also: Cited as authority (rule), Cited "see"
E.D. Mich. · 2024 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the plra is dismissal without prejudice.
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) Sicurello 594701 v. Michigan Department of Corrections
W.D. Mich. · 2023 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence low
the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the prison litigation reform act is dismissal without prejudice.
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) Richards 641715 v. Washington
W.D. Mich. · 2023 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence low
the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the prison litigation reform act is dismissal without prejudice.
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) Bailey 970872 v. Huss
W.D. Mich. · 2023 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence low
the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the prison litigation reform act is dismissal without prejudice.
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) Mitchell v. State of Tennessee
M.D. Tenn. · 2023 · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence low
it is well established . . . that the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the plra is dismissal without prejudice.
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) Dudley v. Strough
W.D. Ky. · 2022 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
it is well established . . . that the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the plra 1s dismissal without prejudice.
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) Ward v. Brown
N.D. Ohio · 2021 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
it is well established . . . the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the plra is dismissal without prejudice.
discussed Cited as authority (quoted) McDonald v. Springfield
W.D. Ky. · 2019 · signal: see · quote attribution · 1 verbatim quote · confidence high
it is well established . . . that the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the plra is dismissal without prejudice.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Mattox v. United States
E.D. Ky. · 2025 · confidence medium
That is generally true, but a grievance must still “[give] prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made . . . in a prisoner’s complaint.” See Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Smith v. Haiderer
E.D. Mich. · 2025 · confidence medium
In short, Smith raised a material question of fact as to whether his 12D1 Grievance gave “‘prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.’” Walker v. Washington, No. 23-2104, 2025 WL 1145719 , at *3 (6th Cir. 2025) (quoting Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) King 280752 v. Burgess
W.D. Mich. · 2025 · confidence medium
He also argues that Defendant Johnson should be sanctioned for filing a frivolous motion. -5- A prisoner’s grievance must give “prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (internal quotation marks omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Keel-Haywood 958405 v. Toogood
W.D. Mich. · 2025 · confidence medium
A prisoner’s grievance must give “prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (internal -5- quotation marks omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Bowles v. Tennessee Department of Correctional - CCA
M.D. Tenn. · 2025 · confidence medium
Jones, 549 U.S. at 211 ; Richards, 96 F.4th at 916; see Napier, 636 F.3d at 222–25 (applying PLRA exhaustion requirement to prisoner’s Eighth Amendment claims); Reed-Bey v. Pramstaller, 603 F.3d 322 , 324–26 (6th Cir. 2010) (same); Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 653 (6th Cir. 2006) (same); Burton v. Jones, 321 F.3d 569, 577 (6th Cir. 2003), abrogated on other grounds by Jones, 549 U.S. 199 (applying PLRA exhaustion requirement to a prisoner’s First Amendment retaliation claims); see also Heard v. Strange, 127 F.4th 630 , 634–35 (6th Cir. 2025) (contemplating state tolling statute with…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Mitchell v. Lamarca
E.D. Mich. · 2024 · confidence medium
Mich. Apr. 3, 2024) (a prisoner’s grievance “must give ‘prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint’”) (quoting Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (citation and internal quotation marks removed)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Howard v. Dennison
N.D. Ohio · 2024 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the necessary interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x. 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651,654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Johnson v. Robertson
M.D. Tenn. · 2024 · confidence medium
Regarding the requirements imposed on prisoners by the PLRA, the Sixth Circuit has stated, “it is sufficient for a court to find that a prisoner’s [grievance] gave prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) English v. Neil
S.D. Ohio · 2024 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the necessary interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Fowler v. Browning
S.D. Ohio · 2024 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the necessary interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Walker 747025 v. Washington
W.D. Mich. · 2023 · confidence medium
Here, Plaintiff’s grievance did not provide Defendant Washington with “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against [her].” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Gibson v. City of Cincinnati
S.D. Ohio · 2023 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the necessary interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Johnson v. Osborne
S.D. Ohio · 2023 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the necessary interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Johnson v. Barney
S.D. Ohio · 2023 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the necessary interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Williams v. Miniard
S.D. Ohio · 2023 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the necessary interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Roden v. Landfair
E.D. Mich. · 2023 · confidence medium
A prisoner’s grievance must give “prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Johnson v. Barney
S.D. Ohio · 2022 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the necessary interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Moses v. Campbell
E.D. Mich. · 2022 · confidence medium
A prisoner’s grievance must give “prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Tillman v. Alfred
E.D. Mich. · 2022 · confidence medium
A prisoner’s grievance must give “prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Scouten v. Midland County Jail
E.D. Mich. · 2021 · confidence medium
A prisoner’s grievance must give “prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (citation and internal quotation marks omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Dittmer v. Corizon Health, Inc. (2×) also: Cited "see, e.g."
E.D. Mich. · 2021 · confidence medium
ECF No. 12 at PageID.234. “[I]t is sufficient for a court to find that a prisoner’s [grievance] gave prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner's complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (quoting Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir.2006)).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Ashley v. Boayue
E.D. Mich. · 2020 · confidence medium
Obj. at 5 (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Jeter v. Lawless
S.D. Ohio · 2020 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the necessary interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Violett v. Dowden
W.D. Ky. · 2020 · confidence medium
While the Sixth Circuit does “not require a prisoner’s grievance to allege a specific legal theory or facts that correspond to all the required elements of a particular legal theory,” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006), “a grievance must provide notice of the problem at hand.” Pruitt v. Holland, No. 10-CV-111-HRW, 2011 U.S. Dist.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Hargrove V. Holley,et al.
S.D. Ohio · 2020 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
cited Cited as authority (rule) Pullen v. Combs
S.D. Ohio · 2020 · confidence medium
Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Paul v. Jones
M.D. Tenn. · 2019 · confidence medium
The purpose of the exhaustion requirement is to provide “fair notice of . . . alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (quotation marks and citation omitted), abrogated on other grounds by Jones, 549 U.S. at 219 .
discussed Cited as authority (rule) McPherson v. Ramey
W.D. Ky. · 2019 · confidence medium
The Sixth Circuit “does not require a prisoner’s grievance to allege a specific legal theory or facts that correspond to all the required elements of a particular legal theory.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (citation omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Burfitt v. Erving
S.D. Ohio · 2019 · confidence medium
Proper exhaustion serves the interest of providing “fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” LaFountain v. Martin, 334 F. App’x 738, 740 (6th Cir. 2009) (citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Cooper v. Vinson
W.D. Ky. · 2019 · confidence medium
While the Sixth Circuit does “not require a prisoner’s grievance to allege a specific legal theory or facts that correspond to all the required elements of a particular legal theory,” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006), “a grievance must provide notice of the problem at hand.” Pruitt v. Holland, No. 10-CV-111-HRW, 2011 U.S. Dist.
cited Cited as authority (rule) Dykes v. Fuller
E.D. Mich. · 2019 · confidence medium
Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (quotations omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Adkins v. Lewis
W.D. Ky. · 2019 · confidence medium
Id. at 740 . “‘[I]t is sufficient for a court to find that a prisoner’s [grievance] gave prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.’” Id. at 740 (quoting Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006)).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Garrett v. Michigan Department of Corrections
E.D. Mich. · 2019 · confidence medium
The magistrate judge correctly noted that "[a] prisoner's grievance must give 'prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis for the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner's complaint.'" (Report and Recommendation 4, citing Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006).) Griffin, a Ninth Circuit case on which Plaintiff relies, acknowledges the fundamental holding that "[p]risoners need comply only with the prison's own grievance procedures to properly 1 Defendants brought this motion pursuant to Fed.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Anderson v. Jutzy
E.D. Mich. · 2016 · confidence medium
Since the Supreme Court decided Jones v. Bock, the Sixth Circuit has stated that courts ought not impose severe technical requirements on prisoners who comply with the spirit and purpose of the administrative exhaustion rules. “[I]t is sufficient for a court to find that a prisoner’s [grievance] gave prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir.2006) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Murphy v. Lockhart
E.D. Mich. · 2011 · confidence medium
Since the Supreme Court decided Jones v. Bock, the Sixth Circuit has stated that courts ought not impose severe technical requirements on prisoners who comply with the spirit and purpose of the administrative exhaustion rules. “[I]t is sufficient for a court to find that a prisoner’s [grievance] gave prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir.2006) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted). *1028 …
discussed Cited as authority (rule) McCloy v. CORRECTION MEDICAL SERVICES (2×) also: Cited "see, e.g."
E.D. Mich. · 2011 · confidence medium
Since the Supreme Court decided Jones v. Bock, the Sixth Circuit has stated that courts ought not impose severe technical requirements on prisoners who comply with the spirit and purpose of the administrative exhaustion rules. “[I]t is sufficient for a court to find that a prisoner’s [grievance] gave prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir.2006) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).
discussed Cited as authority (rule) Wayne LaFountain v. Anthony Martin (2×)
6th Cir. · 2009 · confidence medium
“Proper exhaustion demands compliance with an agency’s deadlines and other critical procedural rules because no adjudicative system can function effectively without imposing some orderly structure on the course of its proceedings.” Woodford, 548 U.S. at 90-91 , 126 S.Ct. 2378 . “[I]t is sufficient for a court to find that a prisoner’s [grievance] gave prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.” Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir.200…
cited Cited "see" Beasley 615584 v. Powell
W.D. Mich. · 2025 · signal: see · confidence high
See Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006) (grievance need not contain “specific legal theory” to exhaust claim).
cited Cited "see" Solomon 932851 v. Cook
W.D. Mich. · 2025 · signal: see · confidence high
See Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651, 654 (6th Cir. 2006).
cited Cited "see" Baker v. Jordan
W.D. Ky. · 2022 · signal: see · confidence high
See Bell v. Konteh, 450 F.3d 651 , 653–54 (6th Cir. 2006).
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Christopher BELL, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
Khelleh KONTEH Et Al., Defendants-Appellees
05-3503.
Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Jun 16, 2006.
450 F.3d 651
ON BRIEF: Kelley A. Sweeney, Office of the Attorney General of Ohio, Cleveland, Ohio, for Appellees. Christopher D. Bell, Marion, Ohio, pro se.
Moore, Cole, Clay.
Cited by 72 opinions  |  Published
4 passages pin-cited by 7 cases
Pinpoint authority: #7,158 of 633,719
Citer courts: W.D. Michigan (3) · W.D. Kentucky (2) · N.D. Ohio (1) · M.D. Tennessee (1)

OPINION

KAREN NELSON MOORE, Circuit Judge.

Plaintiff-Appellant Christopher Bell, an Ohio state prisoner proceeding pro se, appeals the dismissal of his civil rights action against Defendants-Appellees Khelleh Konteh and Carl Shaffer, [1] officials with the Trumbull Correctional Institution (“TCI”). Bell argues that the district court erroneously concluded that he failed to satisfy the Prison Litigation Reform Act’s (“PLRA”) administrative exhaustion requirement. Because the district court’s exhaustion determination was correct as to Shaffer but not as to Konteh, we AFFIRM the dismissal without prejudice with respect to Shaffer and REVERSE the dismissal with respect to Konteh. We REMAND for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

I. BACKGROUND

Bell was a prisoner at Ohio’s TCI at all times relevant to this case. [2] Bell sued Konteh, the warden, and Folmer [3] and Shaffer, two corrections officers, under 42[*653] U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that the defendants retaliated against him for filing grievances, in violation of the First Amendment, and failed to protect him from violence by other inmates, in violation of the Eighth Amendment. The district court dismissed as time-barred the claims against Folmer and dismissed him as a party to the suit. The district court dismissed the retaliation claim against Konteh and Shaffer for failure to state a claim. Bell appeals neither of these orders.

Konteh and Shaffer moved to dismiss the remaining failure-to-protect claim, arguing that Bell had not exhausted the available administrative remedies as required by the PLRA. The district court granted the motion to dismiss, concluding that Bell had failed to exhaust his claim with respect to both Konteh and Shaffer. [4] Bell now appeals.

II. ANALYSIS

We review de novo the dismissal of a suit for failure to exhaust the available administrative remedies as required by the PLRA. Boyd v. Corr. Corp. of Am., 380 F.3d 989, 993 (6th Cir.2004), cert. denied, 544 U.S. 920, 125 S.Ct. 1639, 161 L.Ed.2d 477 (2005).

Under the PLRA, “[n]o action shall be brought with respect to prison conditions under section 1983 of this title, or any other Federal law, by a prisoner confined in any jail, prison, or other correctional facility until such administrative remedies as are available are exhausted.” 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a). Ohio generally employs a three-step inmate grievance procedure that consists of (1) the filing of an informal complaint, (2) the filing of a notification of grievance, and (3) the filing of an appeal of the disposition of grievance. OHIO ADMIN. CODE 5120-9-31(J). Bell was required to follow this procedure before suing Shaffer, but Bell has not cited (and upon independent examination there do not appear to be) any materials in the record indicating that he did so. Thus, the district court correctly concluded that Bell did not administratively exhaust his failure-to-protect claim against Shaffer.

Bell was not, however, required to follow the standard three-step procedure before suing Konteh, because Konteh was TCI’s warden. The procedure for grievances against wardens and inspectors of institutional services consists of only a single step: A prisoner simply files a grievance directly with the office of the chief inspector, whose decision is final. OHIO ADMIN. CODE 5120-9-31(L). Bell satisfied the procedure by filing two such grievances against Konteh, Joint Appendix (“J.A.”) at 128, 129 (Compl., Ex. kk, 11), which the chief inspector dismissed along with several others not relevant here, J.A. at 113 (Compl., Ex. dd3).

Of course, our administrative-exhaustion inquiry does not end here. As we recently explained, “it is not enough simply to follow the grievance procedure; in order to satisfy the administrative exhaustion requirement, the content of the grievances must be adequate, too. First, under our precedent a grievance must identify each defendant eventually sued. E.g., Curry v. Scott, 249 F.3d 493, 504-05 (6th Cir.2001).” Spencer v. Bouchard, 449 F.3d 721, 725 (6th Cir.2006). This requirement[*654] is easily met in the instant ease, as the two grievances named Konteh.

We therefore proceed to the second requirement regarding the content of grievances: “a prisoner must have alleged mistreatment or misconduct on the part of the defendant” in his grievance. Burton v. Jones, 321 F.3d 569, 575 (6th Cir.2003). This standard is not a particularly strict one:

In describing the alleged mistreatment or misconduct, ... we would not require a prisoner’s grievance to allege a specific legal theory or facts that correspond to all the required elements of a particular legal theory. Rather, it is sufficient for a court to find that a prisoner’s [grievance] gave prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of the constitutional or statutory claim made against a defendant in a prisoner’s complaint.
Id. This relaxed standard is consistent with the general practice of liberally construing pro se prisoners’ filings. See, e.g., McNeil v. United States, 508 U.S. 106, 113, 113 S.Ct. 1980, 124 L.Ed.2d 21 (1993); Boswell v. Mayer, 169 F.3d 384, 387 (6th Cir.1999).

Spencer, 449 F.3d at 725 (alterations in original).

In applying this standard, a grievance must be measured against the claim brought in the prisoner’s subsequent suit, which in this case is that Konteh failed in his obligation “to protect prisoners from violence at the hands of other prisoners,” in violation of the Eighth Amendment. Farmer v. Brennan, 511 U.S. 825, 833, 114 S.Ct. 1970, 128 L.Ed.2d 811 (1994) (internal quotation marks omitted); accord, e.g., Dellis v. Corr. Corp. of Am., 257 F.3d 508, 512 (6th Cir.2001). The first of the two relevant grievances filed by Bell alleged that Konteh “had [Bell] moved to another [u]nit for no justifiable reason”; that Bell’s case manager informed Konteh that Bell “should not be housed with” certain other prisoners; and that Bell told Konteh that “if this matter is not resolved [Bell] could be in danger.” J.A. at 128 (Compl., Ex. kk). The second grievance alleged that Bell’s case manager and others “called ... Konteh and explained that [Bell] should not be moved down to Unit B because of an imminent threat to [his] safety”; that a number of other prisoners “were very upset that [Bell] had” been moved into their unit; that Bell’s cellmate warned Bell, “Man these Youngstown dudes don[’]t like you and it gonna be some shit, you better watch your back”; and that one day while Bell was sleeping “at least two prisoners [entered his] cell and jumped” him, “punch[ing][him] in the face and head.” J.A. at 129 (Compl., Ex. 11). These grievances clearly “gave prison officials fair notice of the alleged mistreatment or misconduct that forms the basis of’ Bell’s Eighth Amendment failure-to-protect claim against Konteh. Burton, 321 F.3d at 575.

Based on the foregoing analysis, Bell satisfied the PLRA’s administrative exhaustion requirement with respect to Konteh but not with respect to Shaffer. When a prisoner’s complaint contains both exhausted and unexhausted claims, the unexhausted claims should be dismissed without prejudice while the exhausted claims are allowed to proceed. Spencer, 449 F.3d at 726; Burton, 321 F.3d at 574 n. 2; Hartsfield v. Vidor, 199 F.3d 305, 309-10 (6th Cir.1999). [5] Thus, we conclude[*655] that the PLRA requires the claim against Shaffer to be dismissed without prejudice, while the claim against Konteh may proceed.

III. CONCLUSION

For the reasons set forth above, we AFFIRM the dismissal without prejudice of the failure-to-protect claim against Shaffer and REVERSE the dismissal of the failure-to-protect claim against Konteh. We REMAND for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.

1

. We adopt the spelling of Shaffer used in the defendants' brief. Appellees Br. at 3.

2

. Bell is now a prisoner at Marion Correctional Institution.

3

.Folmer’s full name is not in the record.

4

. The district court did not specify whether the dismissal was with or without prejudice. It is well established, however, that the appropriate disposition of an unexhausted claim under the PLRA is dismissal without prejudice. See, e.g., Boyd v. Corr. Corp. of Am., 380 F.3d 989, 994 (6th Cir.2004), cert. denied, 544 U.S. 920, 125 S.Ct. 1639, 161 L.Ed.2d 477 (2005); Dellis v. Corr. Corp. of Am., 257 F.3d 508, 510 (6th Cir.2001); Brown v. Toombs, 139 F.3d 1102, 1104 (6th Cir.1998). Thus, we read the district court's order as a dismissal without prejudice.

5

. As we recently explained, we are bound to follow the partial-exhaustion rule applied in Hartsfield (1999) and reaffirmed in Burton (2003) rather than the contrary total-exhaustion rule endorsed by subsequent panels, e.g., Bey v. Johnson, 407 F.3d 801, 805 (6th Cir.2005), petition for cert. filed,-U.S.-S.Ct. -, - L.Ed.2d -, 74 U.S.L.W. 3424 (U.S. Jan. 9, 2006) (No. 05-874). See Spencer, 449 F.3d at 726.