Filed Date: Oct. 7, 1997
Closed Date: 2000
Clearinghouse coding complete
On October 7, 1997, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico and inmates in the Valencia County Jail in Los Lunas, New Mexico filed a class action lawsuit against the Board of County Commissioners, Valencia, New Mexico in the District Court for the District of New Mexico. The complaint sought declaratory and injunctive relief due to conditions in violation of the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments, 42 U.S.C. Sections 1983 and 1988, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Plaintiffs were represented by the ACLU and the New Mexico Civil Liberties Foundation. The complaint alleged that, since 1990, the jail had been cited for numerous safety violations, including inadequate smoke evacuation systems, deteriorating plumbing and HVAC systems, and the presence of asbestos. Individual plaintiffs reported experiences of not receiving medication, inadequate hygiene, insect infestations, and lack of access to legal representation.
Defendants offered to confess judgment and plaintiffs accepted this offer. According to the final judgment, issued on December 10, 1997 by Judge C. Leroy Hanson, the Board of County Commissioners agreed to close the jail and not reopen it unless it met "appropriate minimum standards." A subsequent motion for attorney's fees was withdrawn.
Since this case ended, a new adult detention facility opened in Valencia County. Some details regarding its conditions and history can be found here. Based on information known to us, the facility has been operational since approximately 2000.
Summary Authors
Angela Heverling (2/6/2006)
Matthew Feng (3/30/2022)
Hansen, Curtis LeRoy (New Mexico)
Cubra, Peter (New Mexico)
Davis, Philip B. (New Mexico)
Frechette, Rod (New Mexico)
Hammel, Kathryn (New Mexico)
Hansen, Curtis LeRoy (New Mexico)
Last updated March 22, 2024, 3:10 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: New Mexico
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Oct. 7, 1997
Closing Date: 2000
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
inmates in the Valencia County Jail in Los Lunas, New Mexico
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
Valencia County Adult Detention Center (Valencia), County
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111 et seq.
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Order Duration: 1997 - None
Issues
General:
Access to lawyers or judicial system
Sanitation / living conditions
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Assault/abuse by staff (facilities)
Discrimination-basis:
Disability (inc. reasonable accommodations)
Type of Facility: