Filed Date: 1990
Closed Date: April 22, 1993
Clearinghouse coding complete
In 1990, prisoners in the Orange County jail system filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Southern Division, against the County of Orange. The plaintiffs, represented by the Prisoner Rights Union and private counsel, brought suit under 42 U.S.C § 1983, challenging the constitutionality of their conditions of confinement. They sought declaratory and injunctive relief.
In May of 1991, the District Court made the injunctions issued in the companion case Stewart v. Gates, 2:75-cv-03075 (C.D. Cal.) applicable in this case as well. (See the Clearinghouse entry on that case for subsequent developments related to those injunctions.)
In March of 1992, plaintiffs moved the Court to issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction barring the reduction of visiting time to two days a week and requiring the County to provide prisoners with easier access to plaintiffs' counsel's staff. The Court denied the motion for a temporary restraining order and held a hearing on the preliminary injunction. On April 6, 1992, the Court (Judge Gary L. Taylor) also denied that relief, finding that the reduction in visiting hours and the current access to plaintiffs' counsel's staff violated neither the Stewart orders nor the Constitution. Benson v. Cnty. of Orange, 788 F. Supp. 1123 (C.D. Cal. 1992). The case was reported closed on April 22, 1993.
Summary Authors
Christopher Schad (7/13/2012)
Abigail DeHart (3/17/2017)
Stewart v. Gates, Central District of California (1975)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/35619325/parties/benson-v-orange-county-of/
Herman, Richard P. (California)
Hoffman, Paul L. (California)
Jr, Charles Elmquist (California)
McClung, Charles Elmquist Jr. (California)
Stormer, Dan Lewis (California)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/35619325/benson-v-orange-county-of/
Last updated April 7, 2025, 1:19 p.m.
State / Territory: California
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
California Jail Population Caps
Key Dates
Filing Date: 1990
Closing Date: April 22, 1993
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Prisoners in the Orange County jail system
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
County of Orange (Orange), County
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Content of Injunction:
Order Duration: 1991 - None
Issues
General/Misc.:
Access to lawyers or judicial system
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions: