We are a legal education and advocacy project founded by Derek Bluford, a former federal inmate who pursued legal action against the Federal Bureau of Prisons after experiencing firsthand the barriers incarcerated people face when trying to protect their rights. Through his own litigation, Derek learned how difficult it can be to access accurate legal information, meet strict procedural requirements, and navigate a system that was never designed to be user-friendly for people in custody.

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Out of that experience, this project was created to help others avoid the same obstacles. Drawing on lived experience and hard-earned knowledge, Derek built this website to provide clear, practical legal information for people incarcerated in federal facilities who are seeking accountability, safer conditions, or redress for rights violations.

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This work is supported by a growing network of legal professionals, including attorneys, paralegals, and legal aid and advocacy organizations, who contribute their expertise to help ensure the information shared here is accurate, accessible, and grounded in real-world practice. Together, we developed and published The Litigation Guide to help people better understand federal litigation, administrative remedies, and the steps required to protect their claims.

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​We are not a law firm and do not provide legal representation, but we are committed to making the law more understandable and usable for those most directly impacted by incarceration.