Case: Robbins v. Glenn Co.

2:85-00675 | U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California

Filed Date: May 14, 1985

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Case Summary

On May 14, 1985, Lillian Robbins (administratrix of the estate of Kathy Robbins, deceased) filed a lawsuit against Glenn County, California. under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. The plaintiff, represented by the Youth Law Center, alleged that the civil rights of 15 year-old runaway Kathy Robbins had been violated during her detention at the Glenn County Jail because the jail administrators had refused to contact her family, subjected her to …

On May 14, 1985, Lillian Robbins (administratrix of the estate of Kathy Robbins, deceased) filed a lawsuit against Glenn County, California. under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. The plaintiff, represented by the Youth Law Center, alleged that the civil rights of 15 year-old runaway Kathy Robbins had been violated during her detention at the Glenn County Jail because the jail administrators had refused to contact her family, subjected her to a strip search, refused to release her into her parents' custody, refused to place her into an available juvenile detention facility, failed to provide her with adequate clothing, authorized adult inmates to have direct contact with her, failed to adequately medically and psychologically examine her, failed to notice evidence of her previous suicide attempts, failed to deliver her phone messages and reading materials from her mother, harassed and psychologically abused her, failed to provide her opportunities for exercise or recreation, and failed to adequately monitor her. On August 29, 1984, Kathy Robbins committed suicide by hanging herself in her cell. The plaintiff asked the court for monetary general and punitive damages as well as attorney's fees. For injunctive purposes, the parties stipulated that the action could proceed as a class action on behalf of all juveniles who were or would be confined in the Glenn County Jail. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California (Judge Raul A. Ramirez) entered an undated consent decree stating that defendants agreed to stop confining juveniles at the Glenn County Jail.

Additionally, as part of a seemingly separate settlement agreement, plaintiff's parents were to be paid $125,000 in consideration of a full and final release of their claims in the matter. We have no further information about this case.

Summary Authors

Kristen Sagar (10/29/2007)

People


Judge(s)

Ramirez, Raul Anthony (California)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Shauffer, Carole B. (California)

Smith, Greer M. (California)

Attorney for Defendant

Krup, Leonard G. (California)

Price, Philip B. (California)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

2:85-00675

Amended Civil Rights Complaint for Damages

Sept. 9, 1985

Sept. 9, 1985

Complaint

2:85-00675

Consent Judgment

Oct. 1, 1986

Oct. 1, 1986

Order/Opinion

Docket

Last updated March 26, 2024, 3:11 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: California

Case Type(s):

Juvenile Institution

Key Dates

Filing Date: May 14, 1985

Case Ongoing: No reason to think so

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

all juveniles who were or would be confined in the Glenn County Jail

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

Youth Law Center

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Glenn County (Glenn), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Litigation

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Amount Defendant Pays: 125,000

Issues

General:

Bathing and hygiene

Classification / placement

Mail

Parents (visitation, involvement)

Personal injury

Phone

Recreation / Exercise

Sanitation / living conditions

Suicide prevention

Totality of conditions

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Administrative segregation

Youth / Adult separation

Medical/Mental Health:

Medical care, general

Mental health care, general

Type of Facility:

Government-run