Case: Att'y General v. Sheriff of Suffolk County

3800 | Massachusetts state supreme court

Filed Date: 1984

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Case Summary

In 1984, the Attorney General of Massachusetts filed a complaint in the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts seeking an order to compel the Suffolk County Sheriff to accept into his custody all pretrial detainees committed to him by the courts of the Commonwealth. The Sheriff then filed a complaint against the mayor of Boston, the Boston City Council, and the Commissioner of Correction seeking an injunction that would require the defendants to provide suitable facilities for pretrial detain…

In 1984, the Attorney General of Massachusetts filed a complaint in the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts seeking an order to compel the Suffolk County Sheriff to accept into his custody all pretrial detainees committed to him by the courts of the Commonwealth. The Sheriff then filed a complaint against the mayor of Boston, the Boston City Council, and the Commissioner of Correction seeking an injunction that would require the defendants to provide suitable facilities for pretrial detainees who could not be accommodated at the Charles Street Jail. The court consolidated these two cases, inmates at the jail intervened, and a single judge (Judge Paul Liacos) conducted hearings. All parties agreed in a stipulation that a new jail was necessary, and the court issued a consent decree. The Boston City Council appealed, and in an opinion by Justice Joseph Nolan, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts unanimously affirmed. Att'y Gen. v. Sheriff of Suffolk Co., 477 N.E.2d 361 (Mass. 1985). Our information ends with this last reported decision in 1985.

Summary Authors

Lauren Cutson (5/23/2005)

People


Judge(s)

Nolan, Joseph R. (Massachusetts)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Bellotti, Francis X. (Massachusetts)

Attorney for Defendant

Duggan, Christopher A. (Massachusetts)

Janiak, Chester Anthony (Massachusetts)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

Mirick, John O. (Massachusetts)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

3800

Reported Opinion

April 18, 1985

April 18, 1985

Order/Opinion

477 N.E.2d 477

Docket

Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 1:29 p.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Massachusetts

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: 1984

Case Ongoing: No reason to think so

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Attorney General of Massachusetts

Plaintiff Type(s):

State Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Suffolk County jail (Suffolk), County

Case Details

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Order Duration: 1984 - 1985

Issues

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Crowding / caseload

Type of Facility:

Government-run