Filed Date: Sept. 12, 2007
Closed Date: Nov. 4, 2011
Clearinghouse coding complete
In November 2005, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice ("DOJ"), acting pursuant to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act ("CRIPA"), 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq., commenced an investigation into the conditions of confinement at the Dallas County Jail in Dallas, Texas.
Based on its investigation, the DOJ concluded that the conditions and practices at the jail violated the constitutional rights of convicted inmates and pre-trial detainees. On December 8, 2006, the DOJ issued a letter advising Dallas County of minimum reform measures it should implement in order to remedy the unconstitutional practices. The suggested reforms related to the areas of: (1) medical care, (2) mental health care, and (3) environmental health and safety.
On September 12, 2007, the DOJ filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, alleging the same violations that were detailed in the findings letter. The parties entered a consent decree with the court shortly thereafter, and the court approved it on November 6, 2007. Under the terms of the consent decree, the defendants agreed to institute changes in the following areas: medical intake screening, acute medical care, chronic medical care, communicable disease treatment and management, follow-up care, record-keeping, facilities, administration of medication, specialty care, staffing, training, supervision, dental care, mental health care evaluation, mental health care treatment, suicide prevention, laundry, sanitation, environmental control, and fire safety.
Dr. Michael Puisis was appointed as the monitor. On July 15, 2008, the first independent monitor's report was filed; subsequent reports appear in the docket every six months.
The parties filed a Notice of Termination in 2011 requesting the end of court supervision based on the County’s progress and compliance to that point in time with the Agreed Order. The District Court granted the request on October 27, 2011, thereby ending court supervision at the jail.
However, the parties recognized concerns with regards to adequate medical and mental care being provided at Dallas County Jail. On March 12, 2012, the parties entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) “to complete the necessary reforms and to ensure continued sustained compliance.” The parties agreed the MOU would remain in effect until the Defendants have achieved substantial compliance with all provisions, and the parties incorporated the previous court order as part of the MOU.
As part of the MOU, defendants must maintain or achieve compliance in the following areas of (1) medical care (intake screening; acute care; chronic care; follow-up care; specialty care; staffing, training, and supervision; quality assurance review; and dental care); (2) mental health care (timely and appropriate evaluation; psychotherapeutic medication administration; and suicide prevention); and (3) sanitation and environmental conditions (sanitation of laundry; protection from biohazards; environmental control; maintenance and sanitation of facilities; and fire and life safety). The parties also agreed to continue using the expert monitor. Lastly, the defendants must submit annual compliance reports to the DOJ.
As of March 8, 2024, there have been no further updates.
Summary Authors
Kristen Sagar (10/2/2008)
Anna Dimon (1/31/2015)
Venesa Haska (3/8/2024)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4390133/parties/united-states-v-dallas-county-texas/
Abernathy, Terri J (Texas)
Altman, Stephen D (Texas)
Armijo, Rumaldo R (Texas)
AUSA, Jesse M (Texas)
Ardolf, Tammy Jean (Texas)
Bartlett, Anastasia D. (Texas)
Brown Cutlar, Shanetta Y. (District of Columbia)
Clayton, Lindsay Laurie (Texas)
Comisac, Rena J. (District of Columbia)
Deutsch, David (District of Columbia)
Dworkin, Howard Sheldon (Texas)
Franze-Nakamura, Francis (Texas)
Harrington, Quinn Patrick (Texas)
Horwitz, Matthew Joseph (Texas)
Iannarone, Liberatore Joseph (Texas)
Jackson, Shelley (District of Columbia)
Johnson, Kristin Berger (Texas)
Kaminski, Gerald Francis (Texas)
Kim, Wan J. (District of Columbia)
Lawrence, Kathleen O'Malley (Texas)
Lesperance, Karen Folster (Texas)
Nolan, William E. (District of Columbia)
Perez, Thomas E. (District of Columbia)
Smith, Jonathan Mark (District of Columbia)
Weiss, Daniel H. (District of Columbia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4390133/united-states-v-dallas-county-texas/
Last updated June 6, 2025, 11:30 p.m.