Case: Sanchez v. Placer County

2:05-cv-02231 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California

Filed Date: Nov. 3, 2005

Closed Date: 2006

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On November 3, 2005, a woman arrested for a minor criminal infraction filed a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in order to challenge the Sheriff's policies, practices, and customs concerning the use of strip and visual body cavity searches in the Placer County Jail. The named plaintiff, represented by private attorney Mark E. Merin, alleged that she was forced to strip naked, submit to a body cavity search, and display her …

On November 3, 2005, a woman arrested for a minor criminal infraction filed a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in order to challenge the Sheriff's policies, practices, and customs concerning the use of strip and visual body cavity searches in the Placer County Jail. The named plaintiff, represented by private attorney Mark E. Merin, alleged that she was forced to strip naked, submit to a body cavity search, and display her genitalia to male officers. She further alleged that the practice was pursuant to official Placer County Jail policy, under which officers routinely subjected custodial detainees to strip and visual body cavity searches prior to arraignment and in the absence of any reasonable suspicion that the detainees possessed contraband or weapons. Plaintiff alleged that such policy violated the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, as well as California state law. To remedy the alleged violations, Plaintiff sought declaratory and injunctive relief, monetary damages, and class certification.

On October 27, 2006, the parties filed a stipulation for voluntary dismissal of the suit, advising the Court that they had reached a mutual resolution of the case. The terms of the settlement were not made part of the Court record.

Summary Authors

Dan Dalton (1/15/2008)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5703591/parties/sanchez-v-placer-county/


Judge(s)

Levi, David F. (California)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Merin, Mark E. (California)

Attorney for Defendant

Edwards, Jamie (California)

Huskey, David K (California)

Judge(s)

Levi, David F. (California)

Attorney for Plaintiff

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

2:05-cv-02231

Docket [PACER]

Sanchez v. Placer County

Nov. 7, 2006

Nov. 7, 2006

Docket
1

2:05-cv-02231

Complaint

Nov. 3, 2005

Nov. 3, 2005

Complaint
11

2:05-cv-02231

Voluntary Dismissal by Stipulation [FRCP Rule 41(a)] and Order

Sanchez v. Placer

Nov. 7, 2006

Nov. 7, 2006

Order/Opinion

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/5703591/sanchez-v-placer-county/

Last updated Feb. 9, 2024, 3:06 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT Class Action; Demand for Jury Trial against all defendants, filed by Angelic Sanchez. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet)(Merin, Mark) (Entered: 11/03/2005)

Nov. 3, 2005

Nov. 3, 2005

AT CASE CONVERTED to CIVIL CASE 2:05-cv-2231 DFL JFM(Kastilahn, A) Modified on 11/3/2005 (Kastilahn, A). (Entered: 11/03/2005)

Nov. 3, 2005

Nov. 3, 2005

RECEIPT number 204 10025 for $250.00 for civil filing fee from Mark Merin. (Kastilahn, A) (Entered: 11/04/2005)

Nov. 4, 2005

Nov. 4, 2005

4

SUMMONS ISSUED as to *Placer County, Placer County Sheriff Edward N. Bonner, Placer County Sheriff's Department, Placer County Sheriff's Deputies* with answer to complaint due within *20* days. Attorney *Mark E. Merin* *Law Office of Mark E. Merin* *2001 P St, Ste 100* *Sacramento, CA 95814*. (Kastilahn, A) (Entered: 11/04/2005)

Nov. 4, 2005

Nov. 4, 2005

5

CIVIL NEW CASE DOCUMENTS ISSUED; (Attachments: # 1 Consent Forms # 2 VDRP Forms) (Kastilahn, A) (Entered: 11/04/2005)

Nov. 4, 2005

Nov. 4, 2005

6

SUMMONS RETURNED EXECUTED by Angelic Sanchez. Placer County served on 11/14/2005, answer due 12/5/2005; Placer County Sheriff Edward N. Bonner served on 11/14/2005, answer due 12/5/2005; Placer County Sheriff's Department served on 11/14/2005, answer due 12/5/2005. (Merin, Mark) (Entered: 11/18/2005)

Nov. 18, 2005

Nov. 18, 2005

7

ANSWER to COMPLAINT with Jury Demand by Placer County, Placer County Sheriff Edward N. Bonner, Placer County Sheriff's Department, Placer County Sheriff's Deputies.(Huskey, David) (Entered: 12/05/2005)

Dec. 5, 2005

Dec. 5, 2005

8

JOINT STATUS REPORT by Angelic Sanchez. (Merin, Mark) (Entered: 01/18/2006)

Jan. 18, 2006

Jan. 18, 2006

9

STATUS ORDER signed by Judge David F. Levi on 1/31/06 ORDERING Dispositive Motion due by 3/14/2007. Trial set for 7/16/2007 at 09:00 AM in Courtroom 7 before Chief Judge David F. Levi. Final Pretrial Conference set for 5/25/2007 at 02:00 PM in Courtroom 10 (GEB) before Chief Judge David F. Levi. (Carlos, K)

Feb. 1, 2006

Feb. 1, 2006

RECAP
10

STIPULATION of DISMISSAL [FRCP Rule 41(a)] and Order by Angelic Sanchez. (Merin, Mark) (Entered: 11/03/2006)

Nov. 3, 2006

Nov. 3, 2006

11

STIPULATION AND ORDER signed by Judge David F. Levi on 11/7/2006 ORDERING that this matter is DISMISSED with prejudice in its entirety, each party to bear their own attorney's fees and costs. CASE CLOSED. 10 (Reader, L)

Nov. 7, 2006

Nov. 7, 2006

RECAP

Case Details

State / Territory: California

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Special Collection(s):

Strip Search Cases

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Key Dates

Filing Date: Nov. 3, 2005

Closing Date: 2006

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

All persons who, from 2003 until the present were arrested and subjected to a pre-arraignment strip search at the Placer County Jail without defendants having a reasonable suspicion that the search would be productive of contraband.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Denied

Defendants

Placer County Sheriff's Department (Placer), County

Placer County (Placer), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

State law

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Unreasonable search and seizure

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Unknown

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Voluntary Dismissal

Issues

General:

Search policies

Strip search policy

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female

Type of Facility:

Government-run