Case: Sala v. County of Suffolk

1:75-00486 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Filed Date: April 2, 1975

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Case Summary

This civil rights action was brought against the County of Suffolk, its sheriff and a correction officer by a woman subjected to a strip search after being detained on a minor charge. The district court awarded injunctive relief and attorney's fees but granted defendants' motion for summary judgment on the issue of damages. The plaintiff appealed this decision to Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, which affirmed the dismissal. The United States Supreme Court granted cert., and although it denied the plaintiff's petition to consolidate with another case (Owens v. Missouri), the Court remanded the case to the Second Circuit to decide the damages issue in light of the Owens decision. The Second Circuit in turn remanded the damages issue to the District Court.

Summary Authors

Nick Niles (7/16/2007)

People


Judge(s)

Kaufman, Irving Robert (New York)

Smith, John Joseph (Connecticut)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Aron, Bennett E. (New York)

Attorney for Defendant

Dempsey, Wade Thomas (New York)

Hart, Edward J. (New York)

Judge(s)

Kaufman, Irving Robert (New York)

Smith, John Joseph (Connecticut)

Timbers, William Homer (New York)

Attorney for Plaintiff

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

79-07009

Opinion

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Aug. 17, 1979

Aug. 17, 1979

Order/Opinion

604 F.2d 604

78-00620

Opinion [Denying Petition to Consolidate]

Supreme Court of the United States

Oct. 29, 1979

Oct. 29, 1979

Order/Opinion

444 U.S. 444

78-00620

Opinion [Vacating and Remanding]

Supreme Court of the United States

April 21, 1980

April 21, 1980

Order/Opinion

446 U.S. 446

78-07638

[Order Remanding Case to District Court]

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

July 9, 1980

July 9, 1980

Order/Opinion

633 F.2d 633

Docket

Last updated March 20, 2024, 3:17 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: New York

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Special Collection(s):

Strip Search Cases

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 2, 1975

Case Ongoing: No reason to think so

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Plaintiff was accused of harassment, a minor violation, and a summons was issued. The summons was mailed to the wrong address, she did not appear and a warrant was issued for her arrest. When she did appear, she was handcuffed and strip searched.

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

County of Suffolk, County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Unreasonable search and seizure

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Damages

Unknown

Source of Relief:

Litigation

Form of Settlement:

Confession of Judgment

Issues

General:

Strip search policy

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female

Type of Facility:

Government-run