Judge dismisses Jim Zeigler lawsuit challenging Kay Ivey’s prison lease plan
Updated 2:10 PM;
Montgomery County Circuit Judge Greg Griffin today dismissed a lawsuit filed by State Auditor Jim Zeigler and others challenging Gov. Kay Ivey’s plan to lease and operate privately owned prisons.
Griffin granted the request of the Alabama Department of Corrections to dismiss the case, rejecting the claims by Zeigler and the other plaintiffs that the prison leases would violate restrictions in the state Constitution on putting the state of Alabama in debt. Griffin also rejected plaintiffs’ claim that the leases violate a state law that prohibits the ADOC from leasing facilities without consent of the Legislature, as well as other claims.