Case Explained: HESS V. CENTURION HEALTH, ET AL.

Court: United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Filed: 2026-07-30 Docket: 2:22-cv-01864-SPL-MTM The ninth-circuit affirmed the district court’s grant of summary judgment in a prisoner civil rights action alleging deliberate indifference to serious medical needs under the Eighth Amendment and the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as an equal protection claim. The court held that Hess failed to raise a genuine dispute of material fact regarding deliberate indifference, noting that differences of opinion among medical professionals concerning appropriate care do not constitute constitutional violations and that the chosen treatment was not medically unacceptable. Regarding the equal protection claim, the court found no evidence that Hess was treated differently from similarly situated inmates without a rational basis. The court also affirmed the denial of Hess’s discovery motions, finding no prejudice, and dismissed his challenge to the denial of preliminary injunctive relief as moot because the underlying claims had been decided. Consequently, all pending motions were denied and the district court’s judgment was affirmed. Do It For The Case Law is a news reporting service. Nothing in this episode constitutes legal advice.