On October 20, 2000, female juvenile detainees filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut against the State of Connecticut. Plaintiffs alleged that the State violated their Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches by conducting repeated strip searches without a reasonable basis. The detainees sought injunctive relief and damages.

On October 5, 2001, the Court (Peter C. Dorsey) consolidated the case with another case against the state, though the only available document for that case is the docket. The case went to trial beginning on April 3, 2002, and settlement conferences were held. On September 27, 2002, the Court denied plaintiffs' motion for preliminary class certification. 382 F.3d 225 (2004). A few days later, the Court granted the State's motion to dismiss, holding that there was a reasonable basis for each of the strip searches conducted on plaintiffs, but requiring a new strip search policy in the detention centers.

On appeal, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit vacated the District Court's decision and remanded the case, holding that strip searches are lawful upon admission to a detention facility, but repeated searches while children were in custody must be supported by reasonable suspicion; the Court also upheld the denial of class certification. Following the decision, the case was sent back to the District Court for further proceedings and fact finding. 382 F.3d 225 (2004). On February 14, 2005, after the parties settled, the District Court denied plaintiffs' new motion for certified class as moot, and the Court dismissed the case the following day. The only relief indicated was found in the United States Court of Appeals opinion, stating that a new strip search policy was implemented.

Maurice Youkanna - 06/28/2014


compress summary