Filed Date: July 13, 2016
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
On July 13, 2016, organizations whose members participated in and witnessed protests in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in response to the death of Alton Sterling, filed this civil rights lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana. Represented by the ACLU of Louisiana, the New Orleans Workers’ Center for Racial Justice, and private counsel, the plaintiffs sued the City of Baton Rouge and local government officials in their official capacities under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for violating their rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as rights arising under the Louisiana Constitution. Specifically, the plaintiffs alleged that the defendants and their high-ranking policymaking officials intentionally developed and implemented customs, practices, and/or policies under which protestors were detained, harassed, threatened, dispersed, and charged for allegedly obstructing vehicular traffic on public streets, even when the protestors neither engaged in actual obstruction nor created a risk to pedestrian or traffic safety. The plaintiffs also claimed that the defendants’ actions deprived them of a reasonable opportunity to understand what conduct was criminal due to the defendants’ contradictory and unclear orders. As such, the plaintiffs requested nominal damages, injunctive and declaratory relief, and attorneys’ fees.
The case was assigned to Judge John W. deGravelles. On July 13, 2016, the plaintiffs moved for an emergency temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction. A motion hearing was set for July 28, 2016, but the parties filed a joint motion to continue trial on July 20, 2016, which was granted.
On July 27, 2016, one of the defendants, the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney, filed a motion to dismiss the plaintiffs’ claims with prejudice. On August 4, 2016, the plaintiffs advised the district court that they did not oppose this motion to dismiss. On August 8, 2016, the court granted this motion to dismiss.
On November 29, 2016, the plaintiffs moved to dismiss the case. Judge deGravelles granted the motion with prejudice one week later. The parties conferred and agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding, which recognized “the rights of all persons to assemble and engage in the public for the purpose of peaceful public discourse and protest.” The Memorandum also reflected that law enforcement would make every effort to ensure reasonable alternatives that seek to respect the rights and ensure the safety of all parties in the event that the protesters disturbed others. Both parties maintained the right to return to court if the Memorandum was violated.
This case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Saeeda Joseph-Charles (11/24/2016)
Lisa Limb (3/23/2018)
Saba Khan (10/14/2022)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4271366/parties/north-baton-rouge-matters-v-city-of-baton-rouge/
Atri, Sima (Louisiana)
Abadie, Rachel Marie (Louisiana)
Andrews, Arthur H. (Louisiana)
Barient, Andrea Leigh (Louisiana)
Batson, Lea Anne (Louisiana)
Abadie, Rachel Marie (Louisiana)
Andrews, Arthur H. (Louisiana)
Barient, Andrea Leigh (Louisiana)
Beck, Ashley Walton (Louisiana)
Brustowicz, Celeste (California)
Carleton, Stephen C. (Louisiana)
Clark, Colin Andrew (Louisiana)
Cunningham, Erika Mullenbach (Louisiana)
Department, Baton Rouge (Louisiana)
Dotson, Anderson O. (Louisiana)
Erlingson, Mary G. (Louisiana)
Evans, James Garrison (Louisiana)
Fahrenholt, Gregory Charles (Louisiana)
Freel, Angelique Duhon (Louisiana)
Frosch, Craig Edmond (Louisiana)
Gaudin, Andre' Collins (Louisiana)
Gremillion, Frank J. (Louisiana)
Henry, Patrick Edgerton (Louisiana)
Humphrey, Courtney King (Louisiana)
Jackson, Michael L. (Louisiana)
Johnson, Managan Lee (Louisiana)
Johnston, Tara Lynn (Louisiana)
Lamothe, Alexandra Marie (Louisiana)
LeBlanc, J. Burton (Louisiana)
Lewis, James Russell (Louisiana)
Loraso, Victor Roy (Louisiana)
Monsour, Sarah Shannahan (Louisiana)
Moore, Shelley Denise (Louisiana)
Peck, Christina Berthelot (Louisiana)
Philips, Harry Joseph Jr. (Louisiana)
Pierre, Catherine S. (Louisiana)
Sanders, David Glen (Louisiana)
Schillage, Michael Paul (Louisiana)
Sr, Jonathan Holloway (Louisiana)
Urbina, Rolando Roberto (Louisiana)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4271366/north-baton-rouge-matters-v-city-of-baton-rouge/
Last updated March 31, 2026, 4:58 a.m.
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: July 13, 2016
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Organizations whose members participated in and witnessed protests in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in response to the death of Alton Sterling.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
City
City of Baton Rouge
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Declaratory Judgment Act, 28 U.S.C. § 2201
Ex parte Young (federal or state officials)
Constitutional Clause(s):
Due Process: Procedural Due Process
Due Process: Substantive Due Process
Other Dockets:
Middle District of Louisiana 3:16-cv-00463
Middle District of Louisiana 3:16-cv-00436
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Content of Injunction:
Amount Defendant Pays: 0
Issues
General/Misc.:
Incident/accident reporting & investigations
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Policing:
Restraints : chemical (policing)
Case Summary of North Baton Rouge Matters v. City of Baton Rouge, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/15429/ (last updated 10/14/2022).