Filed Date: Jan. 7, 1972
Closed Date: April 25, 1972
Clearinghouse coding complete
Edward and Darlene Baker filed a class-action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky on behalf of their seventeen-year-old son Glenn, who was placed in the Jefferson County Jail by the Juvenile Court, and on behalf of other youths incarcerated there. They alleged that placement of juveniles in the county jail constituted a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment because it treated the juveniles as adults for punitive purposes without allowing them the due process rights given to adults, and that placement of juveniles in county jail constituted cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment due to poor conditions at the jail. They sought declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as damages.
On April 25, 1972, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky (Judge Charles Allen) granted the injunction, but denied monetary damages. The Court held that placement of juveniles in the county jail did constitute a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment because it treated the juveniles as adults for punitive purposes without allowing them the due process rights given adults, and that placement of juveniles in county jail constituted cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment due to poor conditions at the jail. Baker v. Hamilton, 345 F.Supp. 345 (W.D.Ky. 1972).
The case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Kristen Sagar (2/22/2006)
Andrew Junker (11/4/2014)
Allen, Charles Mengel (Kentucky)
Cannon, Joe A. (Missouri)
Charney, Mitchell (Kentucky)
Cooke, Graham B. (Kentucky)
Faust, Ralph (Missouri)
Allen, Charles Mengel (Kentucky)
Last updated March 30, 2024, 3 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Kentucky
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Jan. 7, 1972
Closing Date: April 25, 1972
Case Ongoing: No reason to think so
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
juveniles incarcerated at the Jefferson County Jail
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
Jefferson County (Jefferson), County
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Order Duration: 1972 - None
Content of Injunction:
Issues
General:
Sanitation / living conditions
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Type of Facility: