General Order 12.8: Prisoner Mail
Circuit Rules and General Orders of the Ninth Circuit — General Orders — Chapter XII: Miscellaneous Provisions
When mail addressed by the Clerk to a prisoner in a state or federal institution is returned undelivered, the Clerk shall forward the returned mail to the appropriate state or United States Attorney. The Clerk shall include a letter with the returned mail instructing the attorney to use all reasonable means to effect delivery to the prisoner and to submit to the Clerk proof of such efforts and the results thereof within 14 days.
Mail addressed by a prisoner to a member of the Court shall be opened by the Clerk who shall act on any procedural matter as appropriate. All substantive matters shall be forwarded to the Court.