Case: In re Parish Prison [Jail] Populations

Many; see docket tab | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana

Filed Date: 1981

Closed Date: 1997

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

In re Parish Prison [Jail] Populations is a collection of the PACER dockets for about 100 cases filed in Louisiana federal courts pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to challenge the conditions of confinement in parish and city jails through Louisiana. (Note: In Louisiana, county jails are called "Parish Prisons.") These cases worked their way through the federal courts for about three decades. Note that in Hamilton v. Morial, 644 F.2d 351 (5th Cir. 1981) the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered tha…

In re Parish Prison [Jail] Populations is a collection of the PACER dockets for about 100 cases filed in Louisiana federal courts pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to challenge the conditions of confinement in parish and city jails through Louisiana. (Note: In Louisiana, county jails are called "Parish Prisons.") These cases worked their way through the federal courts for about three decades.

Note that in Hamilton v. Morial, 644 F.2d 351 (5th Cir. 1981) the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered that all federal litigation against state, parish or local prison facilities, relating to population issues, be consolidated in the District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, in order to avoid courts entering inconsistent decrees. Thereafter, many Louisiana state, parish, and city facilities entered into consent decrees which specified population limits and officer-to-incarcerated person ratios. Since 1981, those facilities were under the judicial oversight of District Judge Frank J. Polozola of the Middle District of Louisiana. Over the years Judge Polozola revised the decrees to adjust population caps and officer-to-prisoner ratios as necessary.

The PACER dockets reflect that on August 4, 1994, District Judge Polozola ordered that all cases involving population caps for parish prisons be reopened and reconsidered. Most dockets note that the individual case was again closed in December, 1997.

 

Summary Authors

Dan Dalton (2/9/2007)

Related Cases

Williams v. McKeithen, Middle District of Louisiana (1971)

People


Judge(s)

Polozola, Frank Joseph (Louisiana)

Riedlinger, Stephen C. (Louisiana)

Judge(s)

Polozola, Frank Joseph (Louisiana)

Riedlinger, Stephen C. (Louisiana)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

3:81-cv-00592

Docket (PACER)

In re Sabine Parish

April 1, 1997

April 1, 1997

Docket

3:94-cv-01040

Docket (PACER)

In re Madison Parish

April 1, 1997

April 1, 1997

Docket

3:82-cv-00842

Docket (PACER)

In re Morehouse Parish

April 1, 1997

April 1, 1997

Docket

3:81-cv-00329

Docket (PACER)

In re Lafourche Parish

April 1, 1997

April 1, 1997

Docket

3:94-cv-01039

Docket (PACER)

In re Madison Parish

June 16, 1997

June 16, 1997

Docket

3:81-cv-00591

Docket (PACER)

In re Lafayette Parish

Dec. 23, 1997

Dec. 23, 1997

Docket

3:81-cv-00596

Docket (PACER)

In re Vernon Parish

Dec. 23, 1997

Dec. 23, 1997

Docket

5:81-cv-00599

Docket (PACER)

In re Natchitoches Parish

Dec. 23, 1997

Dec. 23, 1997

Docket

3:81-cv-01039

Docket (PACER)

In re Ouachita Parish

Dec. 23, 1997

Dec. 23, 1997

Docket

3:82-cv-00850

Docket (PACER)

In re St. Mary Parish

Dec. 23, 1997

Dec. 23, 1997

Docket

Docket

Last updated Jan. 25, 2024, 3:03 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link

CASE REFERRED to Mag. Judge Stephen C. Riedlinger (slh) (Entered: 08/10/1994)

Aug. 5, 1994

Aug. 5, 1994

Set magistrate assignment. (slh) (Entered: 08/10/1994)

Aug. 5, 1994

Aug. 5, 1994

This case relates to the housing of DOC prisoners in parish jail (slh) (Entered: 08/10/1994)

Aug. 5, 1994

Aug. 5, 1994

1

ORDER...clerk assign individual docket numbers to the facilities listed...pleadings filed as styled in order...all doc filed in these cases shall be docketed in the individual case numbers assigned to each facility and filed in its own file ( signed by Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (slh) (Entered: 08/10/1994)

Aug. 5, 1994

Aug. 5, 1994

2

Basic Jail Guidelines (rgm) (Entered: 11/21/1994)

Nov. 18, 1994

Nov. 18, 1994

3

BASIC JAIL GUIDELINES (rgm) (Entered: 01/11/1995)

Jan. 11, 1995

Jan. 11, 1995

4

MOTION by DPSC In Satisfaction of its 3/21/95 order (rgm) (Entered: 04/24/1995)

April 21, 1995

April 21, 1995

5

Response to May 31, 1995 order (see order in 71-98 on 5/31/95) (dcar) (Entered: 06/21/1995)

June 15, 1995

June 15, 1995

6

MEMO To Richard Stalder from Venetia Michael RE: Basic Jail Guidelines monitoring report (hcj) (Entered: 03/15/1996)

Feb. 14, 1996

Feb. 14, 1996

7

MEMO to Venetia Michael from Angie Huff RE: Basic Jail Guidelines (hcj) (Entered: 03/15/1996)

Feb. 14, 1996

Feb. 14, 1996

8

ORDER...DeSoto Parish...all parish and local jails maintained by Hugh Bennett, Sheriff are released from the superv and jurisd of this court and the requirements to submit reports. ( signed by Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (rgm) (Entered: 04/18/1997)

April 1, 1997

April 1, 1997

**Set FRC Flag ..Record located at Federal Records Center in Fort Worth, TX (jh) (Entered: 07/31/1998)

July 31, 1998

July 31, 1998

Case Details

State / Territory: Louisiana

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: 1981

Closing Date: 1997

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Inmates in Parish Jails

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: Unknown

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Various parish and city jails throughout Louisiana, County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Private Settlement Agreement

Issues

General:

Staff (number, training, qualifications, wages)

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Crowding / caseload

Type of Facility:

Government-run