On September 9, 1977, a juvenile detained at the juvenile detention center in the Walla Walla County Courthouse, in Washington, filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Washington against state judges, county commissioners, and administrators of Court Services of Walla Walla County. The class consisted of all juveniles who had been confined in the juvenile detention center since 1975, who were confined in the detention center at the time the complaint was filed, and who would be confined in the detention center. Evergreen Legal Services represented the class. The plaintiff sought declaratory and injunctive relief along with damages, alleging that the policies and conditions at the juvenile detention center violated the constitutional guarantees of free association, freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, equal protection, freedom from cruel and unusual punishment, due process, and privacy.

According to the complaint, juveniles were confined in the juvenile detention center while they awaited trial, awaited their disposition hearing, awaited implementation of the disposition decision, or served sentences. The cells were small, dirty, poorly lit, and poorly ventilated. The juveniles were locked in their cells twenty-four hours a day. Showers were only allowed on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. The detained juveniles were not provided with educational, recreational, social, psychological, or other services necessary for incarcerated juveniles.

The only information we have on this case is the complaint that was filed on September 9, 1977.

Kaitlin Corkran - 05/24/2006


compress summary