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Case Name
Amos v. Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
PC-MD-0001
Docket / Court
91-508 ( D. Md. )
State/Territory
Maryland
Case Type(s)
Disability Rights-Pub. Accom.
Prison Conditions
Attorney Organization
ACLU National (all projects)
ACLU National Prison Project
Case Summary
In 1991, a group of disabled Maryland state prisoners incarcerated at the Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown, Maryland, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a Section 1983 class action suit in federal district court for the District of Maryland against the prison and ...
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In 1991, a group of disabled Maryland state prisoners incarcerated at the Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown, Maryland, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, filed a Section 1983 class action suit in federal district court for the District of Maryland against the prison and officials for the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The suit alleged that officials discriminated against the plaintiffs because of their disabilities, in violation of section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Rehabilitation Act.
Defendants moved for summary judgment and in June 1996, the District Court (Judge J. Frederick Motz) granted defendants' motion entering judgment in favor of defendants against plaintiffs. Plaintiffs appealed, and in September 1997, the Court of Appeals affirmed holding that the ADA and Rehabilitation Acts do not apply to ""state correctional facilities."" Amos v. Md. Dep't of Pub. Safety and Corr. Servs., 126 F.3d 589 (4th Cir. 1997).
In June 1998, the Supreme Court granted certiorari and vacated and remanded for further consideration in light of Penn. Dep't of Corr. v. Yeskey, 524 U.S. 206 (1998). Amos v. Md. Dep't of Pub. Safety and Corr. Servs., 524 U.S. 935 (1998). On remand, the Court of Appeals held that the application of the ADA and Rehabilitation Act to state prisons was a ""valid exercise of Congress' authority under the Fourteenth Amendment,"" and that the State of Maryland was not entitled to immunity from suit under the 11th Amendment because Congress had validly abrogated that immunity. Amos v. Md. Dep't of Pub. Safety and Corr. Servs., 178 F.3d 212 (4th Cir. 1999).
In February 2000, the Fourth Circuit granted defendants' petition for rehearing en banc, but a few days prior to oral argument, the parties reached a settlement. The Fourth Circuit accepted the parties' stipulation of dismissal and in March 2000, ordered the case dismissed. Amos v. Md. Dep't of Pub. Safety and Corr. Servs., 205 F.3d 687 (4th Cir. 2000). The terms of the settlement agreement were not included in the opinion and are not available in the case file. The PACER docket does not contain any entries after March 28, 2000.
Eoghan Keenan - 05/24/2005
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Issues and Causes of Action
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Issues
Constitutional Clause
Equal Protection
Discrimination-basis
Disability (inc. reasonable accommodations)
Type of Facility
Government-run
Causes of Action
42 U.S.C. § 1983
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111 et seq.
Case Details
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Defendant(s)
Roxbury Correctional Institution
Plaintiff Description
disabled Maryland state prisoners incarcerated at the Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown, Maryland
Indexed Lawyer Organizations
ACLU National (all projects)
ACLU National Prison Project
Class action status sought
Yes
Class action status granted
Yes
Filed Pro Se
Unknown
Prevailing Party
Plaintiff
Public Int. Lawyer
Yes
Nature of Relief
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief
Litigation
Settlement
Form of Settlement
Private Settlement Agreement
Voluntary Dismissal
Order Duration
2000 - n/a
Filed
02/22/1991
Case Closing Year
2000
Case Ongoing
No
Additional Resources
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Documents
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Court
Docket(s)
D. Md.
03/28/2000
1:91-CV-00508-JFM
PC-MD-0001-9000.pdf
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Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
General Documents
U.S. Court of Appeals
09/22/1997
Opinion
(126 F.3d 589)
PC-MD-0001-0003.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: Google Scholar
U.S. Supreme Court
06/22/1998
Memorandum Decision
(524 U.S. 935)
PC-MD-0001-0004.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: Westlaw
U.S. Court of Appeals
06/24/1999
Opinion
(178 F.3d 212)
PC-MD-0001-0002.pdf
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WESTLAW
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LEXIS
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Detail
Source: Google Scholar
U.S. Court of Appeals
03/06/2000
Order of Dismissal
(205 F.3d 687)
PC-MD-0001-0001.pdf
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WESTLAW
|
LEXIS
|
Detail
Source: Google Scholar
People
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Judges
Clarke, Joseph Calvitt Jr.
(E.D. Va.)
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PC-MD-0001-0002 | PC-MD-0001-0003
Motz, J. Frederick
(D. Md.)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Murnaghan, Francis Dominic Jr.
(Fourth Circuit)
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PC-MD-0001-0002 | PC-MD-0001-0003
Williams, Alexander Jr.
(D. Md.)
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PC-MD-0001-0002 | PC-MD-0001-0003
Plaintiff's Lawyers
Alexander, Elizabeth R.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0002
Balaban, Eric G.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0003
Bardos, Richard B.
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Bazany, Michael A.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Beckman, Marlene
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Cook, Timothy M.
(Pennsylvania)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Dansicker, Andrew Marc
(New York)
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PC-MD-0001-0003
Davis, Robert P.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Elgarten, Clifton S.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Goering, Susan
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Hoffman, Susan M.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Philipsen, Nayna Campbell
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Rifkin, Marjorie Lynn
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0002 | PC-MD-0001-0003 | PC-MD-0001-9000
Titterton, Anne E.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Wesevich, Jerome W.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0002
Winter, Margaret
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0002 | PC-MD-0001-0003
Defendant's Lawyers
Carrion, Audrey
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-9000
Curran, John Joseph Jr.
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-0001 | PC-MD-0001-0002 | PC-MD-0001-0003 | PC-MD-0001-9000
Dove, Maureen Mullen
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-0001 | PC-MD-0001-0002
Howard, John Burnside Jr.
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-0003
Kennedy, David P.
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-0001 | PC-MD-0001-0002
Lane-Weber, Stephanie
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-0001
Shepard, Carmen Mercedes
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0003 | PC-MD-0001-9000
Weber, Stephanie Judith Lane
(Maryland)
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PC-MD-0001-0002 | PC-MD-0001-0003 | PC-MD-0001-9000
Other Lawyers
Edwards, Lisa Wilson
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0003
Flynn, David K.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0003
Galanter, Seth Michael
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0001 | PC-MD-0001-0002
Hamilton, Marci A.
(New York)
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PC-MD-0001-0001 | PC-MD-0001-0002
Keefe, Kirsten E.
(Pennsylvania)
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PC-MD-0001-0002
Lee, Bill Lann
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0001 | PC-MD-0001-0002
Patrick, Deval L.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0003
Ransom, Barbara E.
(Pennsylvania)
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PC-MD-0001-0002
Silver, Jessica Dunsay
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0002
Thome, Linda F.
(District of Columbia)
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PC-MD-0001-0003
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