University of Michigan Law School
Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse
HOME
ABOUT
FOR TEACHERS
SEARCH
QUESTIONS
RECENT ADDITIONS
feedback/
suggestions
log in/
register
Case Profile
new search
page permalink
Case Name
Fisher v. Koehler
PC-NY-0005
Docket / Court
83 Civ. 2128 ( S.D.N.Y. )
State/Territory
New York
Case Type(s)
Prison Conditions
Case Summary
On March 18, 1983, inmates filed a class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the Department of Corrections for the City of New York. The inmates challenged violent conditions at the New York City Correctional ...
read more >
On March 18, 1983, inmates filed a class action lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the Department of Corrections for the City of New York. The inmates challenged violent conditions at the New York City Correctional Institution for Men. Plaintiffs were represented by the Legal Aid Society of New York City's Prisoners' Rights Project.
On July 13, 1988, following a lengthy trial, the district court (Judge Morris E. Lasker) found that violence at the facility by inmates and staff violated the Eighth Amendment. Fisher v. Koehler, 692 F.Supp. 1519 (S.D.N.Y. 1988). The court found that inadequate conditions in the facility, such as overcrowding, inadequate staff, problems with classification, and inadequate systems for reporting abuse, contributed to an environment where inmates suffered ongoing physical abuse. The court gave the defendants an opportunity to submit a plan to address the violations. Both parties submitted proposals and the court approved a decree on July 14, 1989. Fisher v. Koehler, 718 F.Supp. 1111 (S.D.N.Y. 1989). The decree included a new system of classification whereby violent or vulnerable inmates were housed separately, addressed overcrowding, and created a new policy regarding the use of force by staff. The decree also increased staffing and inmate supervision and provided for monitoring. Defendants sought approval for a new policy related to reporting uses of force. Judge Lasker approved the policy on November 8, 1989. Fisher v. Koehler, No. 83-2128, 1989 WL 135912 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 8, 1989).
On appeal, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (per curium) upheld the district court's finding that the conditions in the facility were unconstitutional and held that the district court's remedy was reasonable. Fisher v. Koehler, 902 F.2d 2 (2d Cir. 1990).
Angela Heverling - 04/05/2006
compress summary
- click to show/hide ALL -
Issues and Causes of Action
click to show/hide detail
Issues
Constitutional Clause
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Crowding
Crowding / caseload
General
Assault/abuse by residents/inmates/students
Assault/abuse by staff
Type of Facility
Government-run
Causes of Action
42 U.S.C. § 1983
Case Details
click to show/hide detail
Defendant(s)
Correctional Institutions for Men
Plaintiff Description
prisoners of the State of New York
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
Settlement
Form of Settlement
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Order Duration
1989 - n/a
Filed
1983
Case Ongoing
Perhaps, but long-dormant
Additional Resources
click to show/hide detail
See this case
at CourtListener.com
(May provide additional documents and, for active cases, real-time alerts)
Documents
click to show/hide detail
Court
Docket(s)
S.D.N.Y.
03/18/1983
83-2128
PC-NY-0005-9000.pdf
|
Detail
Source: PACER [Public Access to Court Electronic Records]
General Documents
S.D.N.Y.
Plaintiffs' Proposed Remedial Order (Annotated)
PC-NY-0005-0002.pdf
|
Detail
S.D.N.Y.
07/13/1988
Opinion
(692 F.Supp. 1519)
PC-NY-0005-0005.pdf
|
WESTLAW
|
LEXIS
|
Detail
Source: Google Scholar
S.D.N.Y.
07/14/1989
Reported Opinion
(718 F.Supp. 1111)
PC-NY-0005-0003.pdf
|
WESTLAW
|
LEXIS
|
Detail
Source: Google Scholar
S.D.N.Y.
11/08/1989
Opinion
(1989 WL 135912 / 1989 U.S.Dist.LEXIS 13264)
PC-NY-0005-0006.pdf
|
WESTLAW
|
LEXIS
|
Detail
U.S. Court of Appeals
04/16/1990
Opinion
(902 F.2d 2)
PC-NY-0005-0004.pdf
|
WESTLAW
|
LEXIS
|
Detail
Source: Google Scholar
People
click to show/hide detail
show all people docs
Judges
Feinberg, Wilfred
(S.D.N.Y., Second Circuit)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0004
Kaufman, Irving Robert
(S.D.N.Y., Second Circuit)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0004
Lasker, Morris Edward
(D. Mass., S.D.N.Y.)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0003 | PC-NY-0005-0005 | PC-NY-0005-0006 | PC-NY-0005-9000
Walker, John Mercer Jr.
(S.D.N.Y., Second Circuit)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0004
Plaintiff's Lawyers
Boston, John
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0002 | PC-NY-0005-0003 | PC-NY-0005-0004 | PC-NY-0005-0005
Spencer, Claudette R.
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0002 | PC-NY-0005-0003 | PC-NY-0005-0004 | PC-NY-0005-0005
Weinstein, Philip L.
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0002 | PC-NY-0005-0003 | PC-NY-0005-0004 | PC-NY-0005-0005
Wilker, Dale A.
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0002 | PC-NY-0005-0003 | PC-NY-0005-0004 | PC-NY-0005-0005
Defendant's Lawyers
Hsu, Hway-Ling
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0005
Koerner, Leonard J.
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0004
Kolikoff, Fred
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0004
Kovner, Victor A.
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0004
Leoussis, Fay
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0004
Morgenroth, Diane J.
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0003 | PC-NY-0005-0005
Mosenson, Steven H.
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0005
Thom, William J.
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0004
Zimroth, Peter L.
(New York)
show/hide docs
PC-NY-0005-0003 | PC-NY-0005-0005
- click to show/hide ALL -
new search
page permalink
- top of page -
Contact
Report an Error
Privacy Policy