On January 19, 1995, inmates at the Pierce County Detention and Corrections Center ("PCDCC") in Tacoma Washington filed a class action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington against the County, and various agencies responsible for the operation of the PCDCC. Plaintiffs were represented by Columbia Legal Services, Northwest Justice Project, and private attorneys.

On October 31, 1995, the parties entered into a temporary stipulated order addressing overcrowding (by setting a population cap) and health care staffing. The parties entered into another stipulated order on January 26, 1996. This order addressed the facility's classification system regarding violent inmates and security staff, along with a wide range of issues including , health care staffing, classification systems, meals, laundry, access to educational prgrams, and others. The Court (Judge Franklin D. Burgess) approved the final settlement agreement and order on March 28, 1996. This order incorporated all previous orders and additionally addressed religious services, access to legal materials, mental health, medical, and dental care, and dealing with staff misconduct. The court maintained jurisdiction of the case and in 2005, there were several proceedings regarding a monitor's failure for several years to provide reports to the court.

In 2007, Dr. Joe Goldenson was substituted as the court monitor. He also failed to submit any reports, and in 2010, he was replaced by Judith Cox. She submitted two reports over the next year. In the second report, dated February 22, 2011, Ms. Cox was of the opinion that the jail had complied with the outstanding health-care terms of the settlement agreement. Thereafter, the parties stipulated to dismiss the case with prejudice in an Order signed by Judge Robert B. Bryan on February 25, 2011.

Blase Kearney - 04/14/2012


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