Filed Date: Nov. 1, 1978
Clearinghouse coding complete
On November 1, 1978, prisoners at the Tulare County Jail filed a class action lawsuit in the Superior Court of California against the County of Tulare and several of its officers. The plaintiffs brought suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and state law, challenging their conditions of confinement. Specifically, they complained of unconstitutional overcrowding and unsanitary conditions, inadequate medical and dental care, failure to provide a law library and meaningful access to the courts, failure to provide educational, rehabilitative or vocational training programs, inadequate provisions for visitation, failure to properly segregate the prisoner population, inadequate and unsanitary meals, failure to advise prisoners of jail regulations, and lack of access to voter registration. Plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief.
On January 17, 1979, the defendants filed a general demurrer, and on March 19, the trial court granted it, dismissing the complaint without leave to amend. It found that there was no community of interest among the members of the proposed class and that declaratory relief was not necessary or proper when habeas relief would be more quick and efficient.
The plaintiffs appealed, and on January 5, 1982, the California Court of Appeal (Associate Justice Baca) reversed the trial court's judgment, holding that plaintiffs had standing and that declaratory relief was proper. 180 Cal. Rptr. 347 (Cal. Ct. App. 1982). It directed the trial court to allow plaintiffs to amend their pleadings.
As of the date of this summary, we have no information about subsequent developments in this case.
Summary Authors
Christopher Schad (8/21/2012)
Baca, Robert T. (California)
Last updated April 15, 2024, 3:11 a.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: California
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
California Jail Population Caps
Key Dates
Filing Date: Nov. 1, 1978
Case Ongoing: Unknown
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
prisoners at the Tulare County Jail
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown
Filed Pro Se: Unknown
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Unknown
Defendants
County of Tulare (Tulare), County
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Unknown
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Access to lawyers or judicial system
Food service / nutrition / hydration
Sanitation / living conditions
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Medical/Mental Health Care: