Filed Date: Aug. 8, 2022
Closed Date: March 24, 2023
Clearinghouse coding complete
On August 3, 2022, St. Louis mayor Tishaura Jones signed into law Board Bill 47. The law granted the Civilian Oversight Board ("COB")––an organ created in 2015––far greater powers than it had before. Now the COB had the ability to issue subpoenas, have control over investigations into complaints about St. Louis police officers, and maintain final authority regarding discipline. This lawsuit was filed in response. The case was assigned to Judge Jason Sengheiser.
On August 8, 2022, three police officer groups––the St. Louis Police Officers' Association, the Ethical Society of Police, and the St. Louis Police Leadership Organization––sued the city in the St. Louis Circuit Court. The plaintiffs alleged that Board Bill 47 infringed on state statutory and constitutional law because it exceeded the scope of both what St. Louis could enact as a municipality in conflict with the nature of police as a body that engages in interjurisdictional work as well as what COBs generally were statutorily authorized to do in the course of investigations. As a result, the plaintiffs sought declaratory and injunctive relief.
On August 16, 2022, the plaintiffs filed a memorandum in support of their motion for preliminary injunction.
On September 9, 2022 the court granted the plaintiffs' motion for preliminary injunction. The court ordered that the plaintiffs would execute a bond in the amount of $100.00.
On October 11, 2022 the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint. The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the first amended complaint and to dissolve the preliminary injunction on February 27, 2023.
On March 24, 2023, the court granted the defendants’ motion to dismiss and to dissolve. The court dismissed the first amended complaint as moot. In December replacement legislation had been introduced that addressed the concerns Judge Sengheiser had mentioned in his order on the preliminary injunction. The two issues were: 1) ensuring complaints against the police are written and 2) ensuring officers get 24 hours notice before questioning. The replacement legislation addressed both of these concerns and was signed into law in February of 2023.
This case is closed.
Summary Authors
Matthew Feng (9/7/2022)
Rhea Sharma (1/11/2024)
Sengheiser, Jason Mark (Missouri)
Barry, Richard Andrew III (Missouri)
Hall, Sherrie (Missouri)
Millikan, Brian Patrick (Missouri)
Haynes, Curtis Tyler (Missouri)
Sengheiser, Jason Mark (Missouri)
Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 1:44 p.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Missouri
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: Aug. 8, 2022
Closing Date: March 24, 2023
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Three nonprofit police officer groups
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
City of St. Louis (St. Louis city), City
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Preliminary injunction / Temp. restraining order
Source of Relief:
Content of Injunction:
Issues
General:
Incident/accident reporting & investigations
Policing: