On July 2, 2019, a United States citizen born in Puerto Rico filed this putative class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. The plaintiff sued the Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) and an inspector of the Georgia DDS under 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201-2202, 42 U.S.C. § 1983, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. § 2000d). The plaintiff, represented by the Southern Center for Human Rights and LatinoJustice PRLDEF sought declaratory and injunctive relief and damages. The plaintiff claimed that DDS discriminated against Puerto Rican-born applicants for Georgia drivers’ licenses, took and retained his original identity documents, and denied class members equal protection of the laws and the privileges due to Puerto Rican-born U.S. citizens.

The defendants requested an extension of time to answer, which was granted by Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. on August 29, 2019. On September 23, 2019, the plaintiff filed a motion to stay proceedings to allow the parties to resolve the dispute out of court, which was granted. The case has been stayed until December 31, 2019 and is ongoing.

Elizabeth Helpling - 11/13/2019


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