Case: Martin v. Ohio Governor

2:89-cv-00362 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio

Filed Date: April 27, 1989

Closed Date: 2007

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Case Summary

On April 27, 1989, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act against various Ohio state officials in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Plaintiffs, represented by legal services, asked the Court for declaratory and injunctive relief, claiming that the state was providing appropriate community-based services.On March 21, 1990, the Court certified a class…

On April 27, 1989, a lawsuit was filed on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act against various Ohio state officials in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. Plaintiffs, represented by legal services, asked the Court for declaratory and injunctive relief, claiming that the state was providing appropriate community-based services.

On March 21, 1990, the Court certified a class consisting of: all "developmentally disabled Ohioans who are, or will be, in need of community housing and services which are normalized, home-like and integrated, and a subclass who, in addition to being members of the class, are, or will be, Medicaid recipients."

On December 14, 1993, the Court (Judge George C. Smith) declined to dismiss Plaintiffs' complaint. Martin v. Voinovich, 840 F. Supp. 1175 (S.D. Ohio 1993).

On December 11, 1992, the District Court appointed local civil rights attorney Benson A. Wolman to serve as a Mediator in the case. During the months that followed, until July 1993, the Mediator conducted intense settlement negotiations with the parties in an attempt to resolve the case. When the case did not settle, the plaintiffs filed their second amended class action complaint on August 17, 1993. Defendants moved to dismiss the action on September 23, 1993.

On December 14, 1993, the District Court (Judge George C. Smith) denied defendants' motion in part and granted in part. Judge Smith held that: (1) plaintiffs stated causes of action for violation of Rehabilitation Act and ADA, Developmental Disabilities Act, of due process and equal protection. He further held that the Medicaid statutes and regulations created a right, enforceable under § 1983, that inspections of intermediate care facilities for those with intellectual disabilities take place. Martin v. Voinovich, 840 F.Supp. 1175 (S.D. Ohio 1993).

Discovery continued until the parties agreed to another attempt at settlement in August 1996. Discovery was stayed during negotiations which lasted over two years. On December 13, 1999, Judge George C. Smith held a conference with the parties to assess the progress of settlement. He then referred the matter to Magistrate Judge Norah M. King to conduct further settlement conferences.

On April 25, 2000, plaintiffs filed their third amended complaint to add additional allegations in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the ADA case Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581, 119 S.Ct. 2176, 144 L.Ed.2d 540 (1999). Defendants moved to dismiss or, in the alternative, for summary judgment. Plaintiffs filed a cross-motion for partial summary judgment.

On September 19, 2002, the Court denied in part and granted in part Defendant's motion to dismiss and denied Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment. Martin v. Taft, 222 F. Supp. 2d 940 (S.D. Ohio 2002). The Court encouraged the parties to engage in settlement discussions prior to the bench trial.

The parties reached a tentative settlement of the matter and on June 29, 2004, filed their Joint Motion to Approve Consent Judgment. The Court issued preliminary approval of the parties' settlement agreement on July 7, 2004.

Certain advocacy groups then generated support to derail the settlement, resulting in thousands of purported class members filing form objections with the Court. Objectors also filed motions to decertify the class and to remove class counsel. The objectors contended that the proposed Consent Order only addressed the concerns of the named plaintiffs and not the whole class and therefore created a conflict with class counsel. The parties subsequently withdrew the Joint Motion to Approve Consent Judgment.

On February 15, 2005, the Court appointed local attorney Mark Landes as Special Master.

On September 13, 2005, the Special Master recommended that the Court denied Defendants' motions to remove counsel and decertify the class. The Court adopted those recommendations on November 28, 2005.

The Court again issued preliminary approval of the settlement agreement on December 5, 2006.

On March 5, 2007, the Court approved the settlement agreement and issued a consent order. Among other things, Defendants agreed to increase the number of waiver slots available and increase efforts to provide affordable community housing.

Summary Authors

Haley Waller (4/10/2011)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4702392/parties/martin-v-ohio-governor/


Judge(s)
Attorney for Plaintiff

Burke, William J. (New York)

Fissel, Barry W. (Ohio)

Keith, Harry Blair II (Ohio)

Attorney for Defendant

Carroll, Roger Francis (Ohio)

Hoke, Anne Light (Ohio)

Expert/Monitor/Master/Other

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

2:89-cv-00362

Docket

May 15, 2009

May 15, 2009

Docket
151

2:89-cv-00362

OPINION AND ORDER

Martin v. Voinovich

Dec. 14, 1993

Dec. 14, 1993

Order/Opinion

840 F.Supp. 840

416

2:89-cv-00362

OPINION AND ORDER

Martin v. Taft

Sept. 19, 2002

Sept. 19, 2002

Order/Opinion

222 F.Supp.2d 222

450

2:89-cv-00362

ORDER

Martin v. Taft

March 11, 2004

March 11, 2004

Order/Opinion
453

2:89-cv-00362

ORDER

Martin v. Taft

July 7, 2004

July 7, 2004

Order/Opinion
456

2:89-cv-00362

RESPONSE OF AMICUS OHIO PROVIDER RESOURCE ASSOCIATION TO JOINT MOTION FOR APPROVAL OF SETTLEMENT OF CLASS ACTION

Martin v. Taft

July 29, 2004

July 29, 2004

Pleading / Motion / Brief
554

2:89-cv-00362

MOTION FOR LEAVE TO INTERVENE AND OBJECTIONS OF CHAMPAIGN RESIDENTIAL SERVICES, INC. TO PROPOSED CONSENT ORDER

Martin v. Taft

Aug. 31, 2004

Aug. 31, 2004

Pleading / Motion / Brief
609

2:89-cv-00362

MOTION TO DECERTIFY CLASS BY MARTIN OBJECTORS

Martin v. Taft

Sept. 7, 2004

Sept. 7, 2004

Pleading / Motion / Brief
669

2:89-cv-00362

MOTION TO DECERTIFY CLASS (Klein Objectors)

Martin v. Taft

Oct. 22, 2004

Oct. 22, 2004

Pleading / Motion / Brief
681

2:89-cv-00362

Motion To Decertify Class By Grady

Martin v. Taft

Nov. 29, 2004

Nov. 29, 2004

Pleading / Motion / Brief

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4702392/martin-v-ohio-governor/

Last updated Jan. 30, 2024, 3:11 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
736

OPINION AND ORDER ADOPTING SPECIAL MASTER'S REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS . Signed by Judge Edmund A Sargus on 11/28/2005. (dh)

Nov. 28, 2005

Nov. 28, 2005

RECAP
803

Transcript

July 18, 2016

July 18, 2016

PACER

Case Details

State / Territory: Ohio

Case Type(s):

Public Benefits/Government Services

Special Collection(s):

Olmstead Cases

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 27, 1989

Closing Date: 2007

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Developmentally disabled individuals

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

NDRN/Protection & Advocacy Organizations

Legal Services/Legal Aid

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Governor of the State of Ohio, State

Ohio Department of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, State

Director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, State

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111 et seq.

Section 504 (Rehabilitation Act), 29 U.S.C. § 701

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Equal Protection

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

Amount Defendant Pays: 150,000

Issues

Benefit Source:

Medicaid