Case: Welch v. Rice

93-01783 | Florida state appellate court

Filed Date: June 17, 1992

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Case Summary

This case was brought in Florida state court on June 17, 1992, by a woman who was strip searched after being arrested for a traffic violation. According to the appellate court opinion, the only document available for this case, plaintiff failed to appear for her arraignment on the traffic charge and was later picked up for another traffic violation and for "indirect criminal contempt of court." The trial court entered final summary judgment against the plaintiff and she appealed.On April 29, 19…

This case was brought in Florida state court on June 17, 1992, by a woman who was strip searched after being arrested for a traffic violation. According to the appellate court opinion, the only document available for this case, plaintiff failed to appear for her arraignment on the traffic charge and was later picked up for another traffic violation and for "indirect criminal contempt of court." The trial court entered final summary judgment against the plaintiff and she appealed.

On April 29, 1994, the District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District, in a per curiam decision, reversed the trial court and remanded for further proceedings. The appellate court determined that even if the criminal contempt was not a "traffic, regulatory, or misdemeanor offense" for which strip searches are prohibited, plaintiff's claim that the defendant performed the search without written authorization of a supervising officer was sufficient to establish a violation.

We have no further information about this case.

Summary Authors

Denise Heberle (3/20/2012)

People


Judge(s)

Altenbernd, Chris W. (Florida)

Patterson, David Fred (Florida)

Quince, Peggy A. (Florida)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Henninger, John A. (Florida)

Attorney for Defendant

Jagger, Robert F. (Florida)

Judge(s)

Altenbernd, Chris W. (Florida)

Patterson, David Fred (Florida)

Quince, Peggy A. (Florida)

Attorney for Plaintiff
Attorney for Defendant

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

93-01783

Appellate Decision [District Court of Appeal of Florida, Second District]

April 29, 1994

April 29, 1994

Order/Opinion

636 So.2d 636

Docket

Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 2:49 p.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Florida

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Special Collection(s):

Strip Search Cases

Key Dates

Filing Date: June 17, 1992

Case Ongoing: Unknown

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Plaintiff Doris Welch was arrested when stopped for a traffic violation because of an outstanding warrant for her arrest due to her lack of certificate for her cat. She was strip searched upon arrival at the jail.

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: Unknown

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Pinellas County (Pinellas), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

State law

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Unknown

Nature of Relief:

Unknown

Source of Relief:

Unknown

Issues

General:

Search policies

Strip search policy

Affected Sex or Gender:

Female

Type of Facility:

Government-run