Case: Richardson v. Sheriff of Middlesex County

5230 | Massachusetts state supreme court

Filed Date: 1990

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Case Summary

A class of pretrial detainees held at Middlesex County Jail brought suit in Superior Court against the Sheriff to challenge constitutionality of jail conditions. The trial court found that the overcrowded conditions at the jail violated plaintiffs' due process rights and ordered defendant not to allow more than one inmate in a cell, not to allow inmates to sleep on the floor, and to reduce the total population of the jail. Defendants appealed the decision and the court's denial of defendant's…

A class of pretrial detainees held at Middlesex County Jail brought suit in Superior Court against the Sheriff to challenge constitutionality of jail conditions. The trial court found that the overcrowded conditions at the jail violated plaintiffs' due process rights and ordered defendant not to allow more than one inmate in a cell, not to allow inmates to sleep on the floor, and to reduce the total population of the jail. Defendants appealed the decision and the court's denial of defendant's joinder motion, and plaintiffs cross-appealed the court's denial of their motion to amend judgment pending the appeal. In 1990, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts (Judge Ruth I. Abrams) affirmed the lower court's order but remanded the case for further proceedings regarding additional remedial measures. The Court also ordered that the additional defendants must be joined. Richardson v. Sheriff of Middlesex Co., 553 N.E.2d 1286 (Mass. 1990). The docket for this case is not available on PACER, and therefore our information ends with the last reported decision in 1990.

Summary Authors

Lauren Cutson (5/23/2005)

People


Judge(s)

Abrams, Ruth (Massachusetts)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Deitch, David B. (Massachusetts)

Gartenberg, Lee J. (Massachusetts)

Attorney for Defendant

Barry, Richard L. Jr. (Massachusetts)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

Cohen, Mitchell Harry (New Jersey)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

5230

Opinion

May 17, 1990

May 17, 1990

Order/Opinion

553 N.E.2d 553

Docket

Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 2:47 p.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Massachusetts

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: 1990

Case Ongoing: No reason to think so

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

pretrial detainees held at Middlesex County Jail

Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown

Filed Pro Se: Unknown

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Middlesex County Jail (Middlesex), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Litigation

Issues

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Crowding / caseload

Type of Facility:

Government-run