Case: Hutchings v. Corum

4:79-cv-00600 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri

Filed Date: July 3, 1979

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Case Summary

In 1979, individuals confined at the Clay County Jail (CCJ) in Missouri filed a class action lawsuit pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, challenging various conditions of confinement. The plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, sought declaratory and injunctive relief.On March 3, 1980, the District Court (Judge Elmo B. Hunter, Jr.) certified the matter as a class action and created two sub-classes consisting of (1) pre-trial detaine…

In 1979, individuals confined at the Clay County Jail (CCJ) in Missouri filed a class action lawsuit pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, challenging various conditions of confinement. The plaintiffs, represented by private counsel, sought declaratory and injunctive relief.

On March 3, 1980, the District Court (Judge Elmo B. Hunter, Jr.) certified the matter as a class action and created two sub-classes consisting of (1) pre-trial detainees at CCJ and (2) inmates serving sentences at CCJ following conviction. A bench trial on the merits was held on June 2 through 4, 1980.

On June 27, 1980, the District Court issued its opinion and order, finding that the following conditions at the CCJ constituted constitutional violations: (1) failure to evacuate inmates from sewage-contaminated cells; (2) structural deficiencies in the fifty-tree year old jail, including the lack of fire escapes, fire extinguishers and windows; (3) lack of contact visits for inmates; (4) denial of newspapers to inmates; (5) no recreation; and (6) overcrowding. The District Court ordered the CCJ to remedy the overcrowding issue within seven days and to provide a plan to the Court within thirty days which outlined how it would rectify the other unconstitutional conditions.

We have no further information on the proceedings in this case.

Summary Authors

Dan Dalton (2/8/2007)

People


Judge(s)

Hunter, Elmo Bolton (Missouri)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Wiederaenders, G. Patrick (Missouri)

York, Claudia J. (Missouri)

Attorney for Defendant

Crossett, John M. (Missouri)

Judge(s)

Hunter, Elmo Bolton (Missouri)

Attorney for Defendant

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

4:79-cv-00600

Opinion and Order

June 27, 1980

June 27, 1980

Order/Opinion

501 F.Supp. 501

Docket

Last updated Jan. 28, 2024, 3:07 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Missouri

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: July 3, 1979

Case Ongoing: No reason to think so

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Inmates at the Clay County Jail, (1) pre-trial detainees and (2) inmates serving sentences following conviction.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: Unknown

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Clay County Jail (Clay), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Due Process: Procedural Due Process

Due Process: Substantive Due Process

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Litigation

Order Duration: 1980 - None

Issues

General:

Fire safety

Recreation / Exercise

Sanitation / living conditions

Totality of conditions

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Library (non-law) access

Visiting

Crowding / caseload

Type of Facility:

Government-run