Case: Shoemaker v. Strada

3:26-cv-00367 | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee

Filed Date: March 30, 2026

Case Ongoing

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Case Summary

This is a lawsuit challenging the Tennessee Department of Corrections switch to a new tablet provider and resulting loss of digital content for incarcerated people. On March 30, 2026, two women incarcerated in the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) brought this putative class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. They sought to represent a class of all people currently and previously incarcerated at a TDOC facility who had purchased digital me…

This is a lawsuit challenging the Tennessee Department of Corrections switch to a new tablet provider and resulting loss of digital content for incarcerated people.

On March 30, 2026, two women incarcerated in the Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) brought this putative class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. They sought to represent a class of all people currently and previously incarcerated at a TDOC facility who had purchased digital media content through TDOC’s JPay digital media program prior to March 31, 2025, and whose JPay tablets were confiscated and replaced with ViaPath tablets without transfer of their purchased digital content or compensation. Plaintiffs alleged that the digital content lost due to the tablet transition and TDOC's confiscation of JPay tablets included: music, games, paid and unpaid content, emails and photos, including from deceased relatives. They claimed that the tablet transition, without compensation, resulted in an unlawful taking in violation of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, and was arbitrary, capricious, and without rational relationship to a legitimate governmental interest in violation of substantive due process. They sought declaratory relief, an injunction requiring TDOC to restore content to the new tablets or to provide credits, attorneys fees, and costs. The case was assigned to District Judge Eli Jeremy Richardson and referred to Magistrate Judge Jeffery S. Frensley. As of April 2026, it remains ongoing.

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Summary Authors

Clearinghouse (4/7/2026)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73115410/parties/shoemaker-v-strada/

Judge(s)

Richardson, Eli Jeremy (Tennessee)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Mothershead, Kyle F. (Tennessee)

Judge(s)

Richardson, Eli Jeremy (Tennessee)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Mothershead, Kyle F. (Tennessee)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
1 3:26-cv-00367	Class Action Complaint	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026 Complaint

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73115410/shoemaker-v-strada/

Last updated April 7, 2026, 12:17 p.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date	Link Date / Link
1	COMPLAINT against Frank Strada (Filing fee $405, Receipt number ATNMDC-4533493), filed by Michelle Shoemaker, Linda Whitaker. (Attachments: # 1 Attachment - Civil Cover Sheet)(ch) (Entered: 03/30/2026) 1 Attachment - Civil Cover Sheet View on PACER	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026 Clearinghouse
2	Summons issued as to Frank Strada. Counsel is responsible for printing and serving the summons after it is issued by the Clerk's Office. (ch) (Entered: 03/30/2026)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
3	NOTICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 217 to parties re obligation of counsel to keep Court apprised of current contact information. (ch) (Entered: 03/30/2026)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
4	NOTICE/INFORMATION regarding Consent of the Parties to the Magistrate Judge. (ch) (Entered: 03/30/2026)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
5	NOTICE of Business Entity Disclosure Statement filing requirement. (ch) (Entered: 03/30/2026)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
6	NOTICE of Initial Case Management Conference by Telephone set for 7/7/2026 at 09:00 AM before Magistrate Judge Jeffery S. Frensley. (ch) (Entered: 03/30/2026)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
	Annotation - Bar Status	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
	TN State Bar status verified as active for Kyle F. Mothershead admitted to this court. (ch)	March 30, 2026	March 30, 2026
7	ORDER: This case is REFERRED to the Magistrate Judge for customized case management in accordance with Local Rule 16.01 and 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1)(A). This case shall be set for trial upon completion of the initial case management conference by order of the District Court in accordance with the procedures of Local Rule 16.01. Signed by District Judge Eli J. Richardson on 3/31/2026. (DOCKET TEXT SUMMARY ONLY-ATTORNEYS MUST OPEN THE PDF AND READ THE ORDER.)(ch) (Entered: 03/31/2026)	March 31, 2026	March 31, 2026

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Case Details

State / Territory:

Tennessee

Case Type(s):

Prison Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 30, 2026

Case Ongoing: Yes

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Two women incarcerated in the Tennessee Department of Corrections, seeking to represent a class of "All people currently and previously incarcerated at a TDOC facility who purchased digital media content through TDOC’s authorized JPay digital media program prior to March 31, 2025, and whose JPay tablets were confiscated and replaced with ViaPath tablets without transfer of their purchased digital content or compensation therefor."

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Pending

Defendants

State

Tennessee Department of Corrections

Defendant Type(s):

Corrections

Jurisdiction-wide