Jose M. Ortiz v. Fort Dodge Correctional Facility Tom Connelly

HEANEY, Circuit Judge.

At the time he filed this action, Jose M. Ortiz was an inmate at the Fort Dodge Correction Facility (FDCF) in Iowa. Originally from Mexico City, Mexico, Ortiz’s native language is Spanish, but he is also fluent in English. On August 30, 2000, in accordance with prison policy, Ortiz formally requested to write letters in Spanish to various members of his family. At that time, FDCF’s policy permitted written communication in a foreign language if that was the only language in which the inmate could communicate. Thomas Conley, Ortiz’s Unit Manager, allowed Ortiz to write…