Case: Christensen v. Sullivan

Case No. 96-CV-001835 | Wisconsin state trial court

Filed Date: 1996

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

In March 1996 the plaintiff, an inmate of the Milwaukee County Jail, filed a pro se complaint in state court alleging that he was confined in dangerous conditions in violation of the Wisconsin State Constitution. Specifically, the Plaintiff claimed that overcrowding in the jail led to needless pain and suffering, and posed a serious danger to the physical and mental well-being of inmates. The Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee began representing the plaintiff and sought to represent a class of a…

In March 1996 the plaintiff, an inmate of the Milwaukee County Jail, filed a pro se complaint in state court alleging that he was confined in dangerous conditions in violation of the Wisconsin State Constitution. Specifically, the Plaintiff claimed that overcrowding in the jail led to needless pain and suffering, and posed a serious danger to the physical and mental well-being of inmates. The Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee began representing the plaintiff and sought to represent a class of all present and future inmates of the jail. On October 15, 1996 the county court (Judge Michael Skwierawski) certified the case as a class action.

On June 19, 2001 the court (Judge Thomas Donegan) approved a consent decree that was divided into one part dealing with population controls and another dealing with medical care. It required that the county maintain a population cap in the jail generally and in the booking room specifically. It provided that no inmate would spend more than thirty hours in the booking room and required better staffing and training for staff in that area. In terms of medical care it required that the county provide adequate, well-trained staff and complete screening of inmates for physical and mental health conditions. It further set out requirements for physical examinations, dental care, women's health, sick call, mental health, chronic care, and emergencies. The parties were to agree to a medical monitor to supervise the medical care provisions while the court retained jurisdiction over the population control provisions until the defendant was in full compliance.

In late 2003, plaintiffs' counsel requested an investigation of compliance with the consent decree. In the thirty month period between November 2001 and April 2004 there had been 16,662 violations of the thirty hour maximum waiting period in the booking room. Additionally, the conditions remained substandard and unsanitary in contravention of the consent decree. On September 13, 2004 plaintiffs moved for enforcement of the consent decree. On January 4, 2006 the county court (Judge Clare L. Fiorenza) found that the Milwaukee County Jail had deliberately violated the consent decree and had been in contempt of court, but that sanctions were unavailable because the violations had ceased.

Plaintiffs appealed to the Wisconsin Court of Appeals and on January 29, 2008 the court (Judges Wedemeyer, Fine, and Kessler) reversed on the basis of an intervening decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Milwaukee County appealed to the Supreme Court of Wisconsin and on July 21, 2009 the Supreme Court (Justices Abrahamson, Bradley, Crooks, Gableman, Prosser, Roggensack, and Ziegler) reversed the appeals court by a vote of four to three and held that since the violations of the consent decree had ceased remedial sanctions were unavailable.

Summary Authors

Michael Perry (11/3/2010)

People


Judge(s)

Abrahamson, Shirley S. (Wisconsin)

Bradley, Ann Walsh (Wisconsin)

Crooks, N. Patrick (Wisconsin)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Diaz, Micabel (Wisconsin)

Attorney for Defendant

Bohl, Charles H. (Wisconsin)

Judge(s)

Abrahamson, Shirley S. (Wisconsin)

Bradley, Ann Walsh (Wisconsin)

Crooks, N. Patrick (Wisconsin)

Donegan, Thomas (Wisconsin)

Fine, Ralph Adam (Wisconsin)

Gableman, Michael J. (Wisconsin)

Kessler, Joan F. (Wisconsin)

Prosser, David T. Jr. (Wisconsin)

Roggensack, Patience Drake (Wisconsin)

Wedemeyer, Ted E. Jr. (Wisconsin)

Ziegler, Annette Kingsland (Wisconsin)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

Case No. 96-CV-001835

Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA)

March 12, 1996

March 12, 1996

Docket

Case No. 96-CV-001835

Settlement Agreement

June 19, 2001

June 19, 2001

Settlement Agreement

2006AP803

Brief of Petitioners, Certificate of Service

Wisconsin state supreme court

Jan. 29, 2008

Jan. 29, 2008

Pleading / Motion / Brief

2006AP803

Brief of Plaintiffs-Appellants

Wisconsin state supreme court

Jan. 29, 2008

Jan. 29, 2008

Pleading / Motion / Brief

2006AP803

Opinion (Reversing the trial court and holding that remedial sanctions are available)

Wisconsin state appellate court

Jan. 29, 2008

Jan. 29, 2008

Order/Opinion

746 N.W.2d 746

2006AP803

Order(Granting petition for review)

Wisconsin state supreme court

May 13, 2008

May 13, 2008

Order/Opinion

754 N.W.2d 754

2006AP803

Opinion (Reversing the Court of Appeals and holding that remedial sanctions are not available)

Wisconsin state supreme court

July 21, 2009

July 21, 2009

Order/Opinion

768 N.W.2d 768

Docket

Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 1:34 p.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Wisconsin

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: 1996

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Current and future inmates in the Milwaukee County Jail

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

Legal Services/Legal Aid

ACLU Affiliates (any)

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: Yes

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Milwaukee County Jail (Milwaukee, Milwaukee), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

State law

Available Documents:

Trial Court Docket

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Order Duration: 2001 - None

Issues

General:

Classification / placement

Counseling

Education

Sanitation / living conditions

Totality of conditions

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Crowding / caseload

Pre-PLRA Population Cap

Medical/Mental Health:

Dental care

Medical care, general

Mental health care, general

Type of Facility:

Government-run