Case: Reinschmeidt v. City of Wichita, KS

99-2312 | Kansas state trial court

Filed Date: 1999

Closed Date: 2002

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

Sometime in 1999, a citizen of Wichita, Kansas, filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the city in Sedgwick County, Kansas District Court alleging that citizens' constitutional rights had been violated by the city and the Municipal Court, by holding people in contempt of court without proper hearing or legal counsel and jailing them or forced them to work at work release until their traffic or misdemeanor fines had been paid. We do not have a copy of the docket and do not k…

Sometime in 1999, a citizen of Wichita, Kansas, filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the city in Sedgwick County, Kansas District Court alleging that citizens' constitutional rights had been violated by the city and the Municipal Court, by holding people in contempt of court without proper hearing or legal counsel and jailing them or forced them to work at work release until their traffic or misdemeanor fines had been paid. We do not have a copy of the docket and do not know precisely when suit was filed.

Subsequent to the filing of the original class action petition, the Court conducted hearings on August 11, 2000 and December 1, 2000, and certified a class consisting of all persons on the "time-to-pay" docket who had been released from probation or their period of probation had expired, and who were incarcerated (taken into custody) or ordered to work in the Wichita Work Program due to a case on this docket during the time period of July 31, 1997 to March 9, 2000.

On May 7, 2002, Wichita's City Council approved a $6.2 million settlement to be awarded to the 7,000 citizens who had their 14th Amendment rights violated. The city admitted no wrongdoing in the matter, stating that they decided to settle the case rather than follow the trial through to the end. We have no further information on this case.

Summary Authors

Kristen Sagar (3/14/2006)

People


Judge(s)

Clark, Paul W. (Kansas)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Leatherman, L. J. (Kansas)

White, Gary (Kansas)

Attorney for Defendant

Rebenstorf, Gary (Kansas)

Judge(s)

Clark, Paul W. (Kansas)

Attorney for Defendant

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

99-2312

Notice of Settlement

Reinschmiedt v. City of Wichita, Kansas

May 8, 2002

May 8, 2002

Settlement Agreement

Verdict and Settlement Report

No Court

Aug. 31, 2002

Aug. 31, 2002

Press Release

Docket

Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 3:28 p.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Kansas

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: 1999

Closing Date: 2002

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

all persons on the “time-to-pay” docket who had been released from probation and who were incarcerated or ordered to work in the Wichita Work Program due to a case on the "time to pay" docket.

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

City of Wichita (Wichita), City

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Available Documents:

Monetary Relief

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: 2002 - None

Issues

General:

Access to lawyers or judicial system

Type of Facility:

Government-run