What Happens to Legal (Attorney) Mail at Macomb County Jail
Legal mail is handled differently than regular mail at Macomb County Jail. Here's what "opened in your presence" actually means, what staff are looking for, and what to do if something gets rejected.
At Macomb County Jail, legal or privileged mail is opened in the presence of the inmate and checked for contraband. Staff can inspect it for prohibited items, but the process is different from regular personal mail, which gets screened for contraband before it ever reaches the inmate. That distinction is worth understanding. Most mail is reviewed before the inmate sees it. Legal and privileged mail, on the other hand, is specifically opened while the inmate is present. The inspection is limited to contraband concerns.
Note: If illegal items are discovered in incoming mail, they will be held as evidence.
What Checked Covers
- ✓ Nude, pornographic, explicit, or otherwise inappropriate photos or materials
- ✓ Postage stamps
- ✓ Food items
- ✓ Checks
- ✓ Bills
- ✓ Receipts
- ✓ Envelopes
- ✓ Labels
- ✓ Oversized cards
- ✓ Polaroids
- ✓ Magnets
- ✓ Stickers
- ✓ Ribbon
- ✓ If incoming personal mail contains unauthorized or prohibited items, it will either be placed in the inmate’s property or returned to sender
One restriction worth knowing about: inmate-to-inmate mail within Macomb County Jail is prohibited.
Books have their own rules. As of July 1, 2021, soft cover books can only be ordered by the inmate through the jail's commissary program.
If mail is censored or rejected, the jail issues a "Notice of Rejected Mail." The form states that the censored or rejected mail "will not be provided to the prisoner identified above." To challenge that decision, the inmate can appeal in writing to the Jail Captain. The appeal must be received within 21 days of the date on the notice and sent to: Jail Captain, 43565 Elizabeth Road, Mount Clemens, Michigan, 48043.
- Read the Notice of Rejected Mail carefully. It is the document that tells you mail was censored or rejected.
- Write your appeal to the Jail Captain. Your appeal must be in writing and received within 21 days, sent to 43565 Elizabeth Road, Mount Clemens, Michigan, 48043.
- Plan for the possibility that illegal items will not be returned. If illegal items are found in incoming mail, they will be held as evidence.
Reminder: Outgoing mail without proper postage and a return address will not be delivered.
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