Filed Date: Aug. 13, 1985
Closed Date: 1987
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On August 13, 1985, an individual arrested for a minor offense filed a 42 U.S.C. § 1983 class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, challenging the Scott County Jail's written policy of strip searching all detainees due to be placed in the general prison population regardless of whether there was any reasonable cause to believe that the detainee was carrying contraband. Plaintiff alleged that the policy was unconstitutional and requested that the District Court award monetary damages, injunctive relief, and class certification.
On August 27, 1985, two weeks after the suit was filed, Scott County changed its strip search policy to provide that detainees would be strip searched only when reasonable suspicion existed to believe that the inmate was concealing contraband which could not be discovered through a less intrusive search. Defendant admitted that its pre-August 17, 1985 policies were unconstitutional and Plaintiff granted that the post-August 17, 1985 policies were constitutional.
On September 2, 1986, the District Court denied Plaintiff's motion for class certification and ruled that Plaintiff did not have standing to seek injunctive relief because he failed to show that he was likely to be subjected to Defendant's strip search policy in the future. On October 22-28, 1986, the case proceeded to trial on Plaintiff's individual claim. The jury returned a verdict awarding Plaintiff no damages.
Plaintiff did not appeal the jury award, but both parties filed motions seeking attorneys' fees. On January 6, 1987, the District Court (Judge Harry Hunter MacLaughlin) granted Plaintiff limited attorneys' fees and costs in the amount $1,328.75. The Court denied Scott County's motion for attorneys' fees. Swart v. Scott County, Minn., 650 F.Supp. 888 (D.Minn. 1987).
We are aware of no further proceedings in this case. Though we have no court docket, it would appear that the case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Dan Dalton (2/17/2008)
MacLaughlin, Harry Hunter (Minnesota)
Reed, Barry G. (Minnesota)
Zimmerman, Charles S. (Minnesota)
Martin, James T. (Minnesota)
MacLaughlin, Harry Hunter (Minnesota)
Last updated March 27, 2024, 3:08 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Minnesota
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Aug. 13, 1985
Closing Date: 1987
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
All persons who were strip-searched and detained at the Scott County jail for offenses no greater than traffic violations or misdemeanors, including all persons who were never charged with an offense.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: Unknown
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Denied
Defendants
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Unreasonable search and seizure
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General:
Affected Sex or Gender:
Type of Facility: