On January 17, 1984, a class action lawsuit was filed under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against Solano County, California, and county corrections officials in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California on behalf of all juveniles detained in the past, present, and future at Solano County Juvenile Hall. The plaintiffs, represented by the Youth Law Center, alleged that their constitutional rights were violated by Juvenile Hall's policies and procedures.

In their complaint, the plaintiffs alleged that Solano County Juvenile Hall denied detainees' access to the courts. Detainees at Solano County Juvenile Hall were not permitted to communicate with any attorney other than the criminal defense attorney of record. The plaintiffs also claimed that Solano County Juvenile Hall's policies and procedures for isolation were arbitrary, draconian, and could result in weeks of isolation without due process of law. The plaintiffs sought injunctive relief for the class and compensatory and punitive damages for the named plaintiff.

On February 4, 1985, the parties entered a settlement agreement, in which the county admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to adopt different policies. Under the settlement, detainees could communicate by phone with any attorney, even while in isolation. Similarly, Solano County Juvenile Hall agreed, except in emergencies, to give written notice and hold a hearing prior to isolating a juvenile. If isolated, detainees would have access to showers, toilets, religious services, education, medical care, attorneys and the mail. The settlement agreement also provided for sanitary accommodation, clean clothes, full meals, writing materials, and close monitoring when a juvenile was isolated. The parties reserved their rights to litigate payment of attorneys' fees and costs.

Our copy of the settlement agreement is not signed and we do not have the docket for this case.

Elizabeth Chilcoat - 05/16/2006


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