Filed Date: April 26, 2013
Closed Date: 2018
Clearinghouse coding complete
On July 13, 2010, the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division notified Robertson County of its intent to open an investigation of conditions at the Robertson County Detention Center ("RCDF"). On August 26, 2011, the DOJ issued a letter finding that Robertson County failed to protect prisoners from harm due to inadequate suicide prevention measures and inadequate mental health services.
According to the DOJ, the County did not take adequate measures to remedy the unconstitutional conditions at RCDF, and so on April 26, 2013, the Attorney General filed this lawsuit on behalf of the United States in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. The U.S. sued Robertson County, the County Mayor, the Robertson County Commissioners, and the Sheriff as the principal agents responsible for the conditions at RCDF under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. §1997. The plaintiff alleged that the RCDF violated prisoners’ Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments rights by exhibiting deliberate indifference to inmates’ health and safety by not implementing adequate suicide prevention tactics and lacking an overall strategy to assist inmates with mental health illnesses.
On April 30, 2013, the parties entered into a settlement agreement that stipulated that prisoners were to have timely access to a qualified mental health professional (QMHP) and that the QMHPs were to work as part of an interdisciplinary team to maintain a risk profile for each individual. It further outlined that RCDF would develop and implement policies to provide adequate mental health services to inmates as well as a training program for staff.
In the ninth and final compliance report, the United States reported that Robertson County had maintained substantial compliance with all of the 48 provisions in the agreement and had operated a substantially adequate mental health care system for a sufficient period of time to warrant completion of the settlement agreement. As such, the parties jointly moved to dismiss the case and to terminate the settlement agreement and the order that enforced it. On March 30, 2018, District Judge William L. Campbell, Jr. granted the motion and dismissed the case with prejudice. There are no other entries apparent on the docket and the case is presumably closed.
Summary Authors
Nichollas Dawson (11/27/2017)
Jake Parker (6/29/2018)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6922052/parties/united-states-v-robertson-county/
Campbell, William Lynn Jr. (Tennessee)
Griffin, Juliet E. (Tennessee)
Abbate, Julie K. (District of Columbia)
Austin, Roy L. (District of Columbia)
Hayes, Lindsay M. (Massachusetts)
Campbell, William Lynn Jr. (Tennessee)
Griffin, Juliet E. (Tennessee)
Sharp, Kevin Hunter (Tennessee)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6922052/united-states-v-robertson-county/
Last updated April 14, 2024, 3:02 a.m.
State / Territory: Tennessee
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Post-PLRA enforceable consent decrees
Key Dates
Filing Date: April 26, 2013
Closing Date: 2018
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Attorney General of the United States
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Attorney Organizations:
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Robertson County (Robertson), County
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq.
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Order Duration: 2013 - 2018
Content of Injunction:
Issues
General:
Food service / nutrition / hydration
Staff (number, training, qualifications, wages)
Medical/Mental Health:
Intellectual/Developmental Disability
Intellectual disability/mental illness dual diagnosis
Type of Facility: