Filed Date: June 13, 1997
Clearinghouse coding complete
On June 13, 1997, five black employees of CCH Legal Information Services filed this class action lawsuit on behalf of CCH's 334 black employees in the Southern District of New York under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. They alleged that CCH had engaged in a practice of denying equal opportunities for promotion to black employees because of their race and that CCH discriminated against black employees who did receive promotions by denying them terms and conditions of employment equal to white employees working in the same positions. The case was assigned to Judge Robert Sweet.
On March 18, 1998, the court appointed a special master to assist with and monitor settlement negotiations between the parties. The parties reached and the court approved a settlement agreement on July 17. The details of the settlement are not known to the Clearinghouse, but the docket shows that the parties agreed to class certification and a consent decree to be supervised by the court.
On September 23, 1998, the court entered the consent decree contemplated by the settlement. It instructed CCH to take all actions necessary to implement the terms of the settlement agreement. The court also retained jurisdiction to enforce the decree for 2½ years. On September 28, Judge Sweet certified the class, finding all necessary elements of numerosity, typicality and adequacy of representation were present.
On November 5, the court extended the period of supervision to last until April 30, 2001.
Class members continued to file individual claims for relief pursuant to the settlement agreement for the next two years. On December 3, 1998, the court awarded supplemental attorney’s fees of $46,432 and costs of $1,489. The court further ordered $39,505 in attorney’s fees on March 11, 1999 and a further $59,783 on June 15, 1999.
There has been little activity on the docket since 2001, when the 1998 consent decree was set to expire. In 2019, the court destroyed sealed documents that had been submitted to it during the lawsuit because no party had retrieved them. The case is likely now closed.
Summary Authors
Jonah Feitelson (3/20/2020)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/10518645/parties/jones-v-cch-legal-inf/
Sweet, Robert Workman (New York)
Vladeck, Judith P (New York)
Rosenberg, David Beresh (New York)
Warren, Jay P (New York)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/10518645/jones-v-cch-legal-inf/
Last updated Aug. 20, 2025, 11:16 p.m.
State / Territory: New York
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: June 13, 1997
Case Ongoing: No reason to think so
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
The class of black employees of CCH Legal Information Services
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
CCH-LIS Legal Information Services, Private Entity/Person
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Special Case Type(s):
Non-court arbitration/mediation
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Content of Injunction:
Amount Defendant Pays: 147,000
Order Duration: 1998 - 2001
Issues
General/Misc.:
Discrimination Area:
Conditions of Employment (including assignment, transfer, hours, working conditions, etc.)
Discrimination Basis:
Affected Race(s):