42 U.S.C. § 1997e

42 U.S.C. § 1997e is part of U.S. law that requires prisoners to exhaust all available administrative remedies before they can file a lawsuit in federal court regarding prison conditions. This means that inmates must first attempt to resolve their grievances through the prison's internal processes, such as filing complaints or appeals, before seeking legal action. The purpose of this law is to encourage resolution within the prison system and reduce the number of lawsuits, ensuring that prison officials have a chance to address issues before they reach the courts.