On June 9, 1978, a class action lawsuit was filed a lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the State of Iowa in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. The plaintiffs were represented by the University of Iowa Legal Clinic, and the U.S. Attorney's Office were intervenors in the case. We have no information on the decree that was originally entered in the case.

On July 7, 1993, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa (Judge Harold Vietor) denied the plaintiffs' motion to hold the defendant in contempt of the decree for not obeying the court's order. On July 19, 1993, the plaintiffs appealed this denial, and on November 11, 1993, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit dismissed the appeal for failure to prosecute.

On January 16, 1995, the parties reached a settlement agreement, and on August 11, 1995, the plaintiffs asked the court to hold the defendant in contempt of the agreement. On April 3, 1996, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa (Judge Vietor) held the defendant in contempt.

On May 20, 1996, the defendant asked the court for termination of relief under the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA). On August 16, 1996, the court granted the United States Attorney's motion to intervene in the case, allowing the USA to enter a memorandum of law regarding the constitutionality of the PLRA. On March 3, 1998, the court granted the defendant's request for termination of relief under the PLRA. We have no further information on the proceedings in this case.

Kristen Sagar - 03/23/2006


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