Case: Anderson v. Coughlin

1:80-cv-03037 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Filed Date: May 29, 1980

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Case Summary

In 1984, inmates at the special housing units of several different state prisons in New York filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the New York State Department of Corrections in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The prisoners, represented by Legal Aid Society of New York, asked the court for declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging that their constitutional rights had been violated by the conditions of their cofinement, including a lack of…

In 1984, inmates at the special housing units of several different state prisons in New York filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the New York State Department of Corrections in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The prisoners, represented by Legal Aid Society of New York, asked the court for declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging that their constitutional rights had been violated by the conditions of their cofinement, including a lack of indoor exercise areas or recreational equipment in the outdoor exercise areas.

The parties reached a settlement regarding all issues in the litigation except the exercise and recreational issues. The district court (Judge Charles L. Brieant) granted summary judgment to the defendants on these remaining issues, and the plaintiffs appealed. On March 11, 1985, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (Judge Jon O. Newman) affirmed the district court's decision, holding that exercise arrangements for inmates in special housing units did not violate the Eighth Amendment, and therefore the inmates were not entitled to indoor exercise areas or recreational equipment in the outdoor exercise areas. Anderson v. Coughlin, 757 F.2d 33 (2nd Cir. 1985).

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

Summary Authors

Kristen Sagar (10/31/2006)

People


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Beck, John A. (New York)

Hellerstein, William E. (New York)

Lewis, Dori A. (New York)

Attorney for Defendant

Abrams, Robert W. (New York)

Camhi, Stanley A. (New York)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

84-02259

Reported Opinion

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

March 11, 1985

March 11, 1985

Order/Opinion

757 F.2d 757

Docket

Last updated Jan. 27, 2024, 3:31 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: New York

Case Type(s):

Prison Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: May 29, 1980

Case Ongoing: No reason to think so

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

inmates at the special housing units of state prisons in New York

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

New York State Department of Corrections, State

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Mixed

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Litigation

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Order Duration: 1985 - None

Issues

General:

Recreation / Exercise

COVID-19:

Exercise/recreation regulated

Type of Facility:

Government-run