Smith v. Lyon is a Supreme Court case from 1975 that dealt with the issue of whether a state can constitutionally deny a prisoner access to the courts. The case was brought by a prisoner in the state of Michigan, who argued that the state had violated his constitutional rights by denying him access to the courts. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the prisoner, finding that the state had violated his constitutional rights by denying him access to the courts. The Court held that the state had violated the prisoner's right to due process of law, as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court also held that the state had violated the prisoner's right to equal protection of the laws, as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court's decision in Smith v. Lyon was significant because it established that states must provide prisoners with access to the courts in order to ensure that their constitutional rights are protected. The decision also established that states must provide prisoners with equal access to the courts, regardless of their race, gender, or other characteristics.

In the dissenting opinion of Smith v. Lyon, Justice Douglas argued that the majority’s decision was wrongfully based on a lack of evidence and failed to consider the facts presented in the case. He believed that there was sufficient proof to show that Mr. Smith had been deprived of his constitutional rights when he was denied access to medical care while incarcerated at an Oklahoma prison facility. Furthermore, Justice Douglas argued that it should have been clear from this evidence alone that Mr. Smith had suffered irreparable harm as a result of being denied necessary medical treatment for his serious illness and thus deserved compensation for such damages under 42 U.S.C § 1983 (Civil Rights Act). In conclusion, Justice Douglas felt strongly about protecting individuals' civil liberties and believed they should not be taken away without due process or just cause - something which he felt did not occur in this particular case with regards to Mr. Smith's right to receive proper medical care while imprisoned by state authorities