In 1973, pre-trial detainees filed a complaint in federal district court for the District of Maryland against officials of the Maryland Division of Correction, three state trial court judges, and the wardens of the Baltimore City and County jails. Under Section 1983, plaintiffs challenged defendants' procedures for transferring pretrial detainees from city and county jail to the custody of the Division of Correction. At some point, the Prisoner Assistance Project of the Legal Aid Bureau agreed to represent plaintiffs.

In 1978, plaintiffs moved for summary judgment seeking declaratory and injunctive relief. The District Court (Judge James R. Miller, Jr.) denied plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment. Epps v. Levine, 457 F. Supp. 561 (D. Md. 1978). In 1979, plaintiffs moved for summary judgment challenging the conditions of confinement under section 1983. Judge Miller denied plaintiffs' motion, holding that the plaintiffs failed to show that the conditions imposed were for a punitive purpose or clearly in excess of the legitimate governmental interest of maintaining security and order. Epps v. Levine, 480 F. Supp. 50 (D. Md. 1979). Finally, in February 1980, Judge Miller entered a consent decree establishing procedures for the purpose of assuring ""that pre-trial detainees are detained with the least restrictions necessary to accomplish the State's interest in insuring that they appear at trial and in maintaining security and order within its institution."" Epps v. Levine, 484 F. Supp. 474 (D. Md. 1980).

There was no PACER docket available for this case.

Eoghan Keenan - 05/25/2005


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