Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse

Case: A.A. v. Wackenhut

3:00-cv-00246 | U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana

Filed Date: April 3, 2000

Closed Date: Oct. 3, 2000

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Case Summary

This is one of a collection of § 1983 inmate cases filed in Louisiana federal courts to challenge the operation and conditions of confinement in the Louisiana prison system and in parish and city jails through Louisiana. These cases have worked their way through the federal courts over the last four decades and are part of this collection, located at PC-LA, JC-LA and JI-LA.In this case, private plaintiffs filed a civil rights class action in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of L…

In this case, private plaintiffs filed a civil rights class action in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana to challenge the abusive and inhumane conditions inflicted upon juveniles confined at the Jena Juvenile Justice Center ("Jena") in Jena, Louisiana.

The lawsuit followed the November 1998 filing of the case, U.S. v. Louisiana, [JI-LA-1] which alleged unconstitutional conditions of confinement at other juvenile detention centers in Jetson, Bridge City, Swanson and Tallulah, Louisiana.

In April 2000, the DOJ, plaintiffs and defendants entered into a settlement agreement ("the Jena Agreement") to resolve demands for preliminary injunctive relief sought by the DOJ in U.S. v. State of Louisiana, and by the Private Plaintiffs in A.A., et al. v. Wackenhut Corrections Corp., et al. CIV.A. 00-246-B-M1 [JI-LA-7] regarding conditions at Jena Juvenile Justice Center. The District Court (Judge Frank J. Polozola) approved the Agreement on April 13, 2000. An amendment to the Jena Agreement was filed on May 9, 2000.

On October 3, 2000, the District Court approved the Joint Settlement Agreement for Medical, Dental, Mental Health, Rehabilitation and Juvenile Justice Issues ("2000 Settlement Agreement") reached in this case and the cases, U.S. v. Louisiana, was consolidated with Williams v. Edwards, Civ. No. 71-98-B [PC-LA-1] and Brian B. v. Stadler, Civ. No. 98-886-B-M1 [JI-LA-6] and In Re: Juvenile Facilities ) Civ. No. Ch 97-Ms-001-B [JI-LA-8].

The case was ordered administratively closed and no further activity was noted on the PACER docket as of the date of this summary.

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Summary Authors

Dan Dalton (2/23/2007)

In re Juvenile Justice Facilities, Middle District of Louisiana (1997)

Brian B. v. Stalder, Middle District of Louisiana (1998)

United States v. Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana (1998)

People

Judge(s)

Polozola, Frank Joseph (Louisiana)

Attorneys(s) for Plaintiff

Celeste, Gabriella (Louisiana)

Denlinger, June E. (Louisiana)

Nordyke, Keith B (Louisiana)

Utter, David J. (Louisiana)

Judge(s)

Polozola, Frank Joseph (Louisiana)

Attorneys(s) for Plaintiff

Celeste, Gabriella (Louisiana)

Denlinger, June E. (Louisiana)

Nordyke, Keith B (Louisiana)

Utter, David J. (Louisiana)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

	Document
	Docket (PACER) Williams, et al v. Wackenhut Corr Corp,	Sept. 13, 2001	Docket
1	Complaint (Class Action)	April 3, 2000	Complaint

Resources

Title	Description		External URL
The Caged Canary Elizabeth Alexander	The United States has experienced an explosion in the number of people in prison, an explosion that cannot be attributed to changes in the crime rate, but rather reflects changes in public policy, pa…	Dec. 1, 2008	http://scholarship.law.wm.edu/...

Docket

Last updated May 12, 2022, 8 p.m.

ECF Number	Description	Date
1	COMPLAINT Filing Fee $ 150.00 Receipt # 69375 (bnw) (Entered: 04/04/2000)	April 3, 2000
2	MOTION by All Plaintiffs to Proceed in Pseudonym ( Motion Hearing set for 9:00 5/5/00 ) (bnw) (Entered: 04/04/2000)	April 3, 2000
3	MEMORANDUM by All Plaintiffs in support of [2-1] motion to Proceed in Pseudonym by All Plaintiffs (bnw) (Entered: 04/04/2000)	April 3, 2000
4	MOTION by All Plaintiffs for Appointment of Guardian Ad Litem ( Motion Hearing set for 9:00 5/5/00 ) (bnw) (Entered: 04/04/2000)	April 3, 2000
5	MOTION by All Plaintiffs for Preliminary Injunction ( Motion Hearing set for 9:00 5/5/00 ) (bnw) (Entered: 04/04/2000)	April 3, 2000
6	MEMORANDUM by All Plaintiffs in support of [5-1] motion for Preliminary Injunction by All Plaintiffs (bnw) (Entered: 04/04/2000)	April 3, 2000
7	MOTION by All Plaintiffs for Expedited Hearing on [5-1] motion for Preliminary Injunction by All Plaintiffs (bnw) (Entered: 04/04/2000)	April 3, 2000
8	MEMORANDUM by All Plaintiffs in support of [7-1] motion for Expedited Hearing on [5-1] motion for Preliminary Injunction by All Plaintiffs (bnw) (Entered: 04/04/2000)	April 3, 2000
10	MEMORANDUM by All Plaintiffs in support of [9-1] motion to Certify Class by All Plaintiffs (bnw) (Entered: 04/04/2000)	April 3, 2000
11	ORDER granting [5-1] motion for Preliminary Injunction by All Plaintiffs ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (hcj) (Entered: 04/06/2000)	April 5, 2000
12	ORDER of re-allotment ...CA 00-246-C-M1 be re-allotted to Section B of this Court. ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola and Judge Ralph E. Tyson ), issued notices. (hcj) (Entered: 04/06/2000)	April 6, 2000
	CASE reassigned to Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola (hcj) (Entered: 04/18/2000)	April 6, 2000
13	Minute entry: Hearing held on 4/5/00 - settlement negations. It is ordered that a motion for preliminary injuction shall be filed with an attached stipulation in reference to the take over of the Jena facility by the State of Louisiana ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ) (hcj) (Entered: 04/12/2000)	April 11, 2000
	Motion hearing held re: [7-1] motion for Expedited Hearing on [5-1] motion for Preliminary Injunction by All Plaintiffs by All Plaintiffs (hcj) (Entered: 04/12/2000)	April 11, 2000
14	ORDER ...the parties continue discussions through 4/14/00 to settle all issues regarding all five secure juveniles facilities. It is further ordred that to allow the parties to research and consider the matters previously discussed, the settlement negotiations may be suspended after 4/14/00 and resume 5/1/00. Settlement discussions shall continue thereafter from day to day until further orders of this court. ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (hcj) (Entered: 04/17/2000)	April 13, 2000
15	ORDER APPROVING SETTLEMENT ...the Agreement is approved by the Court and that pltf's motion for preliminary injunction is held in abeyance. ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (hcj) (Entered: 04/17/2000)	April 13, 2000
16	TRANSCRIPT of hearing filed for dates of 4/5/00 (hcj) (Entered: 04/28/2000)	April 27, 2000
17	AMENDMENT to private plaintiffs' Jena Agreement (hcj) (Entered: 05/10/2000)	May 9, 2000
18	ORDER ... the settlement negotiations will be recessed on 5/15/00 and 5/16/00 and will resume again on 5/17/00. ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (hcj) (Entered: 05/12/2000)	May 12, 2000
19	LETTER dated 5/15/00 TO: Judge Frank J. Polozola FROM: Richard Curry RE: Settlement negotiations ...affirmed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola (hcj) (Entered: 05/26/2000)	May 25, 2000
20	Minute entry: Status Conference held on 6/27/00 (signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ) (hcj) (Entered: 07/03/2000)	July 3, 2000
	Status Conference held (hcj) (Entered: 07/31/2000)	July 27, 2000
21	Minute entry: Status Conference held on 7/27/00 ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ) (hcj) (Entered: 07/31/2000)	July 28, 2000
	Status Conference held (hcj) (Entered: 08/25/2000)	Aug. 11, 2000
	Status Conference held on 8/8/00 (hcj) (Entered: 08/22/2000)	Aug. 22, 2000
22	Minute entry: Status conference held on 8/8/00 ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ) (hcj) (Entered: 08/22/2000)	Aug. 22, 2000
23	Minute entry: Status conference held on 8/11/00 ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ) (hcj) (Entered: 08/25/2000)	Aug. 25, 2000
24	ORDER denying as moot [2-1] motion to Proceed in Pseudonym by All Plaintiffs, denying as moot [4-1] motion for Appointment of Guardian Ad Litem by All Plaintiffs ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (bnw) (Entered: 09/06/2000)	Sept. 6, 2000
25	JOINT MOTION by Wackenhut Corr Corp, Salvador Godinez, Murphy Mike Foster, Richard L. Stalder, All Plaintiffs for Conditional Dismissal and Other Relief (elp) (Entered: 09/14/2000)	Sept. 7, 2000
26	NOTICE of Settlement Agreement for Medical, Dental, Mental Health, Rehabilitation and Juvenile Justice Issues (elp) (Entered: 09/14/2000)	Sept. 7, 2000
27	ORDER granting, as stated herein... [25-1] joint motion for Conditional Dismissal and Other Relief by All Plaintiffs, Richard L. Stalder, Murphy Mike Foster, Salvador Godinez, Wackenhut Corr Corp ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (elp) (Entered: 09/14/2000)	Sept. 7, 2000
	Inspection Report RE: Educational Settlement Agreement and Education Inspection Plan for Settlement Agreement can be found in 97-MS-1 document numbers 299 and 300 (hcj) (Entered: 09/19/2000)	Sept. 7, 2000
28	Minute entry: Telephone status cnf held 9/6/00 to discuss procedural matters for the status cnf to be held 9/7/00... ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ) (elp) (Entered: 09/14/2000)	Sept. 13, 2000
29	Minute entry: granting [25-1] joint motion for Conditional Dismissal and Other Relief by All Plaintiffs, Richard L. Stalder, Murphy Mike Foster, Salvador Godinez, Wackenhut Corr Corp ...all cases except 71-98 pertaining to juvenile facilities are herby administratively closed until further order of the Court... ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ) (elp) (Entered: 09/14/2000)	Sept. 13, 2000
	Case closed (elp) (Entered: 09/14/2000)	Sept. 13, 2000
30	MEMORANDUM OPINION ...final approval of Joint Settlement Agreement for Medical, Dental, Mental Health, Rehabilitation and Juvenile Justice Issues ("Settlement Agreement") filed with the Court on 9/7/00i. ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (hcj) (Entered: 10/12/2000)	Oct. 3, 2000
31	ORDER ...case shall remain closed The Clerk ofCOurt shall randomly assign a new district judge to preside in this case in the event any party seeks to reopen the case. ( signed by Chief Judge Frank J. Polozola ), issued notices. (hcj) (Entered: 09/13/2001)	Sept. 13, 2001

State / Territory: Louisiana

Case Type(s):

Juvenile Institution

Key Dates

Filing Date: April 3, 2000

Closing Date: Oct. 3, 2000

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Juveniles who are now or in the future will be confined at the Jena Juvenile Justice Center in Jena, Louisiana, and who are subject to abusive and inhumane conditions

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Jena Juvenile Justice Center , State

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):