Case: Prison Legal News v. Geo Group

50 2005 CA 011195 | Florida state trial court

Filed Date: Dec. 2, 2005

Closed Date: 2011

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On Dec. 2, 2005, Prison Legal News (PLN) sued the Geo Group, Inc. (formerly Wackenhut Corrections), a private corrections company, under Florida’s public records law (Fla. Stat. Ann. § 119.01) in the Circuit Court for Palm Beach, Florida. Plaintiff had sought access to records held by the defendant company; that request was declined, and so plaintiff sought injunctive and declaratory relief.The suit was filed because Geo failed to produce documents related to contractual violations and litigati…

On Dec. 2, 2005, Prison Legal News (PLN) sued the Geo Group, Inc. (formerly Wackenhut Corrections), a private corrections company, under Florida’s public records law (Fla. Stat. Ann. § 119.01) in the Circuit Court for Palm Beach, Florida. Plaintiff had sought access to records held by the defendant company; that request was declined, and so plaintiff sought injunctive and declaratory relief.

The suit was filed because Geo failed to produce documents related to contractual violations and litigation against the company that resulted in settlements or verdicts. Under state law, Geo was required to comply with public records requests. Plaintiffs filed their complaint when an April 2005 request by Prison Legal News for records (related to lawsuits that resulted in settlements or verdicts against the defendant company, as well as contract audits, violations and court-ordered injunctions) resulted in what it regarded as an insufficient response.

In its lawsuit, Prison Legal News alleged that the Geo Group, a for-profit company, operated privatized prisons, including two Florida correctional facilities, and that its contract-based fees were paid with public (taxpayer) funds. The complaint labeled Geo's failure to provide the requested public records illegal, malicious and willful. It said that the defendant sought to delay Prison Legal News from obtaining the records because they are critical of Geo's operation of privatized prisons. The requested records, it was alleged, would likely reveal details related to sexual harassment claims, riots and other disturbances, staff-on-prisoner attacks, prisoner-on-prisoner attacks, inadequate medical care, contract sanctions and other penalties, and court orders and injunctions against the company. Prison Legal News was represented by private counsel.

In April 2010, PLN reached a settlement with Geo. PLN reported:"As part of the settlement, the court ordered the company to produce litigation-related documents pursuant to PLN's public records request four times before it finally complied, on the eve of a summary judgment hearing. The court also ordered the company to pay $40,000 in attorneys' fees. GEO also produced copies of the complaints and settlements in ten lawsuits filed against the company that had resulted in the largest monetary payouts."

Summary Authors

Mike Fagan (6/2/2008)

Lakshmi Gopal (2/1/2016)

People


Judge(s)

Miller, Karen (Florida)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Kreidler, Frank A. (Florida)

Attorney for Defendant

Kummerlen, Gregory A (Florida)

Judge(s)

Miller, Karen (Florida)

Attorney for Plaintiff
Attorney for Defendant

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

50 2005 CA 011195

Docket (02/2011)

Feb. 22, 2011

Feb. 22, 2011

Docket

Complaint

Prison Legal News v. The Geo Group, Inc.

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

Complaint

Prison Legal News Sues the Geo Group for Public Records Relating to Lawsuits Filed Against the Company

PLN v. Geo Group

No Court

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

Press Release

50 2005 CA 011195

Amended Settlement for Attorney's Fees and Order Dismissing the Case with Prejudice

April 16, 2010

April 16, 2010

Settlement Agreement

Resources

Docket

Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 1:39 p.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

None

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

2

None

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

3

COUNTER SM-05-233275

Dec. 2, 2005

Dec. 2, 2005

4

ON BEHALF OF THE DEFT THE GEO GROUP INC

Dec. 16, 2005

Dec. 16, 2005

5

TO THE COMPLAINT

Dec. 27, 2005

Dec. 27, 2005

6

(1ST) & REQ TO PRODUCE AT TIME OF HEARINGS AND TRIAL

Jan. 5, 2006

Jan. 5, 2006

7

None

Jan. 5, 2006

Jan. 5, 2006

8

(1ST)

Jan. 30, 2006

Jan. 30, 2006

9

None

Feb. 27, 2006

Feb. 27, 2006

10

ON DEFT'S MOTION FOR ENLARGEMENT OF TIME **GRANTED*** DEFT SHALL

March 17, 2006

March 17, 2006

11

None

March 24, 2006

March 24, 2006

12

TO SET CAUSE FOR NON-JURY TRIAL (UP 4/19/06 KMILLER)***

April 17, 2006

April 17, 2006

13

ON 10/2/06 THROUGH 11/10/06 & DOCKET CALL ON 9/15/06 @ 9:00 AM

April 25, 2006

April 25, 2006

14

OF PROPOUNDING INTERROGS

May 8, 2006

May 8, 2006

15

FOR ENLARGEMENT OF TIME

June 9, 2006

June 9, 2006

16

PRODUCTION & FOR FEES & COSTS

July 20, 2006

July 20, 2006

17

(EX PARTE) COMPELLING DISCOVERY.

July 21, 2006

July 21, 2006

18

TO CONTINUE CALENDAR CALL

Sept. 11, 2006

Sept. 11, 2006

19

TO CONTINUE CALENDAR CALL & THAT THE CALENDAR CALL SET FOR 9/15/06 IS CANCELED

Sept. 18, 2006

Sept. 18, 2006

20

ON 3/5/07 @ 8:45 AM

Feb. 26, 2007

Feb. 26, 2007

21

GRANTING PLTF MOT TO STRIKE

March 5, 2007

March 5, 2007

22

OF ABSENSE

Dec. 17, 2007

Dec. 17, 2007

23

None

April 2, 2008

April 2, 2008

24

SECOND

April 2, 2008

April 2, 2008

25

05-22-2008

April 28, 2008

April 28, 2008

26

VERIFIED ANSWERS TO INTERROGS

May 22, 2008

May 22, 2008

27

GRANTING PLTFS SECOND MOTION TO COMPEL PRODUCTION OF DOUCMENTS. G KELLEY

May 23, 2008

May 23, 2008

28

FOR EXTENSION OF TIME

June 12, 2008

June 12, 2008

29

ON DFTS MOTION FOR EXTENSION OF TIME *GKELLEY*

June 26, 2008

June 26, 2008

30

TO COMPEL

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

31

THE PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

32

TO COMPEL

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

33

THE PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

34

TO COMPEL

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

35

THE PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

36

TO COMPEL

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

37

THE PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

38

TO COMPEL

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

39

THE PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS

July 21, 2008

July 21, 2008

40

ON 08/12/08 @ 8:45

Aug. 5, 2008

Aug. 5, 2008

41

ON 08/12/08 @ 8:45

Aug. 5, 2008

Aug. 5, 2008

42

ON 8/21/08 @8:45

Aug. 13, 2008

Aug. 13, 2008

43

ON THE PLTF'S THIRD MTN TO COMPEL-GRANTED-GKELLEY

Aug. 13, 2008

Aug. 13, 2008

44

GRANTING PLTF 2ND MOTION TO COMPEL ANSWERS TO INTERRS & AWARDING ATTY FEES--GRANTED . . . . SEE ORDER FOR DETAILS

Aug. 21, 2008

Aug. 21, 2008

45

ON SEPT 8, 2008

Aug. 29, 2008

Aug. 29, 2008

46

PAYMENT

Aug. 29, 2008

Aug. 29, 2008

47

None

Sept. 12, 2008

Sept. 12, 2008

48

ON DFTS MOTION FOR EXTENSION OF TIME - GRANTED. G KELLEY

Sept. 16, 2008

Sept. 16, 2008

49

FOR EXTENSION OF TIME

Sept. 22, 2008

Sept. 22, 2008

50

(THIRD) ANSWERS TO INTERROGS

Sept. 30, 2008

Sept. 30, 2008

51

ON DFTS MOTION FOR EXTENSION OF TIME AND PLTFS THIRD MOTION TO COMPEL - GRANTED. G KELLEY

Oct. 7, 2008

Oct. 7, 2008

52

(4TH) PRODUCTION OF DOUCMENTS

Nov. 13, 2008

Nov. 13, 2008

53

(4TH) ANSWERS TO INTERROGS

Nov. 13, 2008

Nov. 13, 2008

54

1/13/08

Dec. 31, 2008

Dec. 31, 2008

55

ON PLTFS 4TH MOTION TO COMPEL - GRANTED. G KELLEY

Jan. 14, 2009

Jan. 14, 2009

56

IN-RE MOTION TO COMPEL 8/27/09

Aug. 12, 2009

Aug. 12, 2009

57

FIFTH MOTION TO COMPEL ANSWERS TO INTERROGS

Aug. 12, 2009

Aug. 12, 2009

58

FIFTH MOTION TO COMPEL THE PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS SET FORTH IN THE PLT'S FIRST REQUEST TO PRODUCE

Aug. 12, 2009

Aug. 12, 2009

59

GRANTING PLTFS MOTION TO COMPEL (G KELLEY)

Aug. 27, 2009

Aug. 27, 2009

60

None

Sept. 4, 2009

Sept. 4, 2009

66

OF MOTION

Sept. 4, 2009

Sept. 4, 2009

61

MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT 12/11/09, DTD 10/14/09 G KELLEY

Oct. 14, 2009

Oct. 14, 2009

62

SECOND REQUEST TO DFT

Nov. 2, 2009

Nov. 2, 2009

63

MOTION TO ALLOW ADDITIONAL ADMISSIONS

Nov. 2, 2009

Nov. 2, 2009

64

ALLOWING THE FILING OF THE PLT'S SECOND REQUEST FOR ADMISSIONS, DTD 11/11/09 D CROW

Nov. 12, 2009

Nov. 12, 2009

65

None

Dec. 10, 2009

Dec. 10, 2009

None

Dec. 14, 2009

Dec. 14, 2009

67

OF CASES

Dec. 14, 2009

Dec. 14, 2009

68

REQUEST FOR PRODUCTION

Dec. 14, 2009

Dec. 14, 2009

69

None

Dec. 14, 2009

Dec. 14, 2009

70

IN SUPPORT OF THE PLT'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMETN

Dec. 21, 2009

Dec. 21, 2009

71

MOTIONFOR ATTY'S FEES AND COSTS

Jan. 8, 2010

Jan. 8, 2010

72

PL'TS MOTION FOR ATTY'S FEES AND COSTS 4/9/10 @ 2:30 DTD 2/10/10 G KELLEY

Feb. 10, 2010

Feb. 10, 2010

73

DISMISSING THE CASE WITH PREJUDICE AND SETTLEMENT FOR ATTY FEES CLOSE FILE GKELLEY

April 12, 2010

April 12, 2010

74

DB GKELLEY

April 12, 2010

April 12, 2010

None

April 19, 2010

April 19, 2010

None

April 19, 2010

April 19, 2010

75

OF DISMISSAL CLOSE FILE GKELLEY

April 19, 2010

April 19, 2010

76

FROM ROCKY SHROYER DTD 2/18/11

Feb. 22, 2011

Feb. 22, 2011

Case Details

State / Territory: Florida

Case Type(s):

Criminal Justice (Other)

Special Collection(s):

Prison Legal News

Key Dates

Filing Date: Dec. 2, 2005

Closing Date: 2011

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Prison Legal News (PLN) is a non-profit, charitable Washington corporation with its office in Seattle, Washington. PLN publishes Prison Legal News, a monthly journal of prison news and analysis.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Non-profit NON-religious organization

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

The Geo Group. Inc., Private Entity/Person

Defendant Type(s):

Corrections

Case Details

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Complaint (any)

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Attorneys fees

Unknown

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Private Settlement Agreement

Content of Injunction:

Required disclosure

Issues

General:

Records Disclosure