On November 8, 2007, the plaintiff brought a complaint against the Clatsop County Jail and Clatsop County, on behalf of himself and thousands of others pursuant to 42 U.S.C. §1983, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon. The complaint challenged the jail's policy of strip-searching all individuals entering the county jail and then placing them in jail clothing. Represented by private counsel, the plaintiff asked the court for declaratory and injunctive relief. The plaintiff contended that all people, even those convicted of minor crimes and misdemeanors, were strip-searched upon their entry into the jail.

Judge Garr M. King granted plaintiff's motion for leave to file an amended complaint on September 18, 2008. The amended complaint joined six new plaintiffs to the action who had all been stripped and cavity-searched.

Discovery continued until January 26, 2009. During that time, the plaintiffs voluntarily dismissed all but two of the plaintiffs.

On February 27, 2009, the defendants moved for summary judgment. The defense argued that the searches were constitutional because the plaintiffs met established criteria for strip searches and the defendant officer was shielded by qualified immunity.

On May 5, 2009, Judge King entered summary judgment for the defendants. We are not able to obtain a copy of the order entering summary judgment.

Dayna Frenkel - 09/17/2008
Erin Chapman - 01/30/2015


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