Filed Date: March 9, 1973
Clearinghouse coding complete
In 1973, an inmate filed an action against officials at the Bexar County Jail in Texas alleging unconstitutional jail conditions. After several other inmates filed similar actions, the district court for the Western District of Texas (Chief Judge William Steele Sessions) consolidated the cases, directed the United States to appear as a litigating Amicus Curiae, and certified plaintiffs' class. In 1980, defendants moved to dismiss the United States or to require compliance with the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. section 1997 et seq., which Congress enacted after the court named the United States as a party to the case. The court denied defendants' motion. DeVonish v. Garza, 510 F. Supp. 658 (W.D. Tex. 1981).
In the early 1980s, the court entered a consent decree that required defendants to ensure life safety and personal hygiene, fix environmental deficiencies, reduce jail population, protect inmates from harm, increase staff training and supervision, implement policies and procedures to increase medical care, and provide recreational opportunities for inmates. The consent decree was still in effect in 1986, when a different plaintiff in Bexar County Jail filed suit against county officials and claimed that they were in violation of the DeVonish consent decree (the court ultimately disagreed with plaintiff). Gill v. Neaves, 1986 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21879 (W.D. Tex. 1986). The docket for this case is not available on PACER, so we have no subsequent information.
Summary Authors
Lauren Cutson (5/26/2005)
Benbow, John W. (Texas)
Duke, Lonnie W. (District of Columbia)
Burris, Keith W. (Texas)
Berlin, Steven B. (District of Columbia)
Campion, Charles (Texas)
Sessions, William K. III (Vermont)
Last updated March 26, 2024, 3:04 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Texas
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: March 9, 1973
Case Ongoing: No reason to think so
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiffs are inmates at the Bexar County Jail.
Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown
Filed Pro Se: Unknown
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
Bexar County Jail (San Antonio, Bexar), County
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq.
Constitutional Clause(s):
Due Process: Substantive Due Process
Available Documents:
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: 1980 - 0
Issues
General:
Staff (number, training, qualifications, wages)
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Type of Facility: