Case: Rights Equality Always at Letchworth v. Cuomo

1:84-cv-04163 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Filed Date: June 13, 1984

Closed Date: 1991

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On June 13, 1984, ten residents of the Letchworth Village Development Center (LVDC) in Thiells, New York, along with a parents/representatives organization called Rights, Equality Always at Letchworth, Inc. (REAL), filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the State of New York in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The plaintiffs asked the court for declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging that their constitutional rights had been violated by t…

On June 13, 1984, ten residents of the Letchworth Village Development Center (LVDC) in Thiells, New York, along with a parents/representatives organization called Rights, Equality Always at Letchworth, Inc. (REAL), filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the State of New York in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The plaintiffs asked the court for declaratory and injunctive relief, alleging that their constitutional rights had been violated by the defendants' failure to provide plaintiffs with constitutionally and statutorily mandated levels of care, habilitation, training, education, and treatment, as well as maintaining the plaintiffs in a setting where such services cannot properly be provided.

On September 3, 1985, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (Judge Charles E. Stewart) dismissed REAL as a party to the lawsuit for lack of standing and certified the plaintiffs as a class. Rights Equality Always at Letchworth v. Cuomo, No. 84-4163, 1985 WL 129 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 3, 1985). On November 14, 1985, the district court (Judge Stewart) appointed REAL guardian ad litem to assist the plaintiffs in representing the interests of absent class members.

On November 25, 1986, the defendants asked the court to dismiss the case for lack of standing of the remaining plaintiffs. On October 14, 1986, the district court denied the motion for dismissal.

On November 14, 1988, the parties entered into a settlement agreement, which was adopted by the court on November 19, 1991. On March 3, 1993, the district court ordered the defendants to provide the plaintiffs with a comprehensive implementation plan for the closure of LVDC. The closure was to take place by March 31, 1996, and the plan was to specify the number of community placements to be made out of LVDC. This is where our docket information, accurate as of 4/18/07, ends.

Summary Authors

Kristen Sagar (4/18/2007)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/9125225/parties/equality-a-rights-v-cuomo/


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Lottman, Michael S. (New York)

Attorney for Defendant

Abrams, Robert W. (New York)

Fleischer, Arnold D. (New York)

Giuliani, Rudolph (New York)

Rothstein, Amy (New York)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

1:84-cv-04163

Docket (PACER)

Nov. 19, 1991

Nov. 19, 1991

Docket

1:84-cv-04163

Court Docket

April 11, 1996

April 11, 1996

Docket
27

1:84-cv-04163

Report and Recommendation

Sept. 3, 1985

Sept. 3, 1985

Order/Opinion

1985 WL 1985

1:84-cv-04163

Correspondence

Jan. 1, 1996

Jan. 1, 1996

Correspondence

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/9125225/equality-a-rights-v-cuomo/

Last updated March 26, 2024, 3:07 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link

Case closed (mj)

Nov. 19, 1991

Nov. 19, 1991

PACER

Case Details

State / Territory: New York

Case Type(s):

Intellectual Disability (Facility)

Key Dates

Filing Date: June 13, 1984

Closing Date: 1991

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

residents of the Letchworth Village Development Center (LVDC) in Thiells, New York

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Letchworth Village Developmental Center (Letchworth), State

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Equal Protection

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Order Duration: 1989 - 0

Issues

General:

Classification / placement

Deinstitutionalization/decarceration

Education

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Habilitation (training/treatment)

Disability and Disability Rights:

Special education

Medical/Mental Health:

Intellectual disability/mental illness dual diagnosis

Type of Facility:

Government-run