Case: Sykes v. Krieger

1:71-cv-01181 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio

Filed Date: Nov. 30, 1971

Closed Date: 1994

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Case Summary

In 1971, plaintiffs filed a section 1983 class action on behalf of all present and future inmates at Cuyahoga County Jail. The district court for the Northern District of Ohio (Judge Robert Krupansky) certified plaintiffs' class and ordered defendants to address issues regarding overpopulation, lack of psychiatric care, cross examinations at disciplinary hearings, counsel-substitution at disciplinary hearings, mail services, telephone procedures, visitation procedures, and library services. S…

In 1971, plaintiffs filed a section 1983 class action on behalf of all present and future inmates at Cuyahoga County Jail. The district court for the Northern District of Ohio (Judge Robert Krupansky) certified plaintiffs' class and ordered defendants to address issues regarding overpopulation, lack of psychiatric care, cross examinations at disciplinary hearings, counsel-substitution at disciplinary hearings, mail services, telephone procedures, visitation procedures, and library services. Sykes v. Kreiger, 451 F. Supp. 421 (N.D. Ohio 1975). Subsequently, the court allowed plaintiffs to amend their complaint to add state officials and the Mayor of Cleveland as defendants, and these defendants appealed. The Sixth Circuit remanded to determine whether the state defendants should be dismissed. Sykes v. Krieger [sic], 551 F.2d 689 (6th Cir. 1977). In 1987, the district court (Judge Alvin I. Krenzler) entered a consent decree. In 1994, the district court (Judge Lesley Brooks Wells) terminated the consent decree after finding that defendants had complied with the consent decree in all respects. Watts v. McFaul, 158 F.R.D. 598 (N.D. Ohio 1994). The docket for this case is not available on PACER, and therefore our information ends with the last reported decision in 1994.

Summary Authors

Lauren Cutson (5/26/2005)

People


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Bass, Stanley A. (New York)

Berkman, Bernard A. (Ohio)

Billington, Glenn E. (Ohio)

Attorney for Defendant

Balkaj, Solomon (Ohio)

Brown, William J. (Ohio)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:71-cv-01181

Order

May 15, 1975

May 15, 1975

Order/Opinion

451 F.Supp. 451

75-01948

75-01949

[Reported opinion]

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Jan. 1, 1976

Jan. 1, 1976

Order/Opinion

551 F.2d 551

75-02159

Unpublished Opinion

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Jan. 14, 1976

Jan. 14, 1976

Order/Opinion

530 F.2d 530

1:84-03624

Memorandum of Opinion and Order Terminating Consent Judgment

Watts v. McFaul

Nov. 21, 1994

Nov. 21, 1994

Order/Opinion

158 F.R.D. 158

Docket

Last updated Jan. 26, 2024, 3:08 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Ohio

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: Nov. 30, 1971

Closing Date: 1994

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

present and future inmates at Cuyahoga County Jail in Ohio

Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown

Filed Pro Se: Unknown

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Cuyahoga County Jail (Cleveland), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Due Process: Substantive Due Process

Freedom of speech/association

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Litigation

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Order Duration: 1971 - 1994

Issues

General:

Disciplinary procedures

Mail

Phone

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Law library access

Library (non-law) access

Visiting

Crowding / caseload

Medical/Mental Health:

Mental health care, general

Type of Facility:

Government-run