Case: Levka v. City of Chicago

1:83-02283 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Filed Date: March 31, 1983

Closed Date: March 27, 1985

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Case Summary

In 1983, Plaintiff filed a lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the City of Chicago in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Plaintiff was represented by private counsel. Plaintiff asked for compensatory damages and alleged her constitutional rights were violated when she was strip-searched.The parties stipulated that on December 2, 1975, police arrested Plaintiff, then 53, for a misdemeanor. Police strip-searched Plaintiff at the Women's Central Detention …

In 1983, Plaintiff filed a lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against the City of Chicago in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Plaintiff was represented by private counsel. Plaintiff asked for compensatory damages and alleged her constitutional rights were violated when she was strip-searched.

The parties stipulated that on December 2, 1975, police arrested Plaintiff, then 53, for a misdemeanor. Police strip-searched Plaintiff at the Women's Central Detention facility. At the time of the incident, Defendant's policy subjected every arrestee to a strip search.

The City admitted that Plaintiff's strip search violated her constitutional rights because the Seventh Circuit previously held that Defendant's former policy searching female arrestees violated the Fourth Amendment and the Fourteenth Amendment right to equal protection. The jury trial (Judge Milton I. Shadur) was limited to damages, and the jury awarded Plaintiff $50,000 in compensatory damages. The District Court (Judge Shadur) denied Defendant's motion for judgment notwithstanding the verdict and Defendant appealed.

On April 27, 1984, the District Court (Judge Shadur) awarded Plaintiff $24,475 in attorney fees for the trial. Roe v. City of Chicago, 586 F.Supp. 513 (N.D.Ill. 1984).

On November 19, 1984, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals (Judges Wilbur F. Pell, Jr., William J. Bauer and Franklin T. Dupree, Jr.) held that Plaintiff's award of $50,000 was excessive in comparison to awards in other strip-search cases. Furthermore, Plaintiff's age was not an aggravating factor. The Court ordered Plaintiff to accept a remittitur reducing the judgment to $25,000 or alternatively to retry the case. Levka v. City of Chicago, 748 F.2d 421 (7th Cir. 1984).

On January 2, 1985, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals denied rehearing en banc.

Plaintiff accepted the remittitur. Plaintiff moved for attorney fees for the appeal, stating she was the prevailing party in the litigation as a whole.

On March 27, 1985, the District Court (Judge Shadur) denied Plaintiff's motion for attorney fees because it held that Plaintiff was not the prevailing party on appeal. Levka v. City of Chicago, 605 F.Supp. 197 (N.D.Ill. 1985).

Docket: 83-C-2283.

Summary Authors

Shira Gordon (3/16/2012)

People


Judge(s)

Bauer, William Joseph (Illinois)

Dupree, Franklin Taylor Jr. (North Carolina)

Pell, Wilbur Frank Jr. (Indiana)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Letvin, David J. (Illinois)

Attorney for Defendant

Montgomery, James D. (Illinois)

Judge(s)

Bauer, William Joseph (Illinois)

Dupree, Franklin Taylor Jr. (North Carolina)

Pell, Wilbur Frank Jr. (Indiana)

Shadur, Milton Irving (Illinois)

Attorney for Plaintiff

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

84-01055

Opinion

U. S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

Nov. 19, 1984

Nov. 19, 1984

Order/Opinion

1:83-02283

Opinion

March 27, 1985

March 27, 1985

Order/Opinion

Docket

Last updated Jan. 14, 2024, 3:07 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Illinois

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Special Collection(s):

Strip Search Cases

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 31, 1983

Closing Date: March 27, 1985

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Female arrestee who was subjected to strip search while being detained on a misdemeanor charge.

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

City of Chicago, City

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Unreasonable search and seizure

Equal Protection

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Damages

Source of Relief:

Litigation

Issues

General:

Strip search policy

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female

Type of Facility:

Government-run