Case: Wilkes v. Sheahan

1:01-cv-01592 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Filed Date: March 7, 2001

Closed Date: 2001

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Case Summary

On March 7, 2001, three pretrial detainees filed a 42 U.S.C. §§ 1981 and 1988 lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, challenging the Cook County Sheriff's policies of strip searching female pre-trial detainees (a) upon their admission to the Cook County Jail, (b) upon their return to the jail from court, and (c) at random. These searches, Plaintiffs alleged, were conducted on groups of 15 to 40 women at a time, in plain view of male guards, and in unsanitary and repulsive conditions. The searches included inspections of body cavities, without regard to whether women were on their menstrual cycle. Attack dogs were unleashed to sniff the women, while guards admonished them that the dogs would bite if drugs were discovered. Plaintiffs claimed that such searches and conduct violated their rights under the Fourth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments and sought monetary damages, injunctive relief, and class certification. On July 5, 2001, an amended complaint was filed adding three additional named plaintiffs to the lawsuit.

A settlement conference was held by the District Court (Judge John W. Darrah) on April 26, 2001. According to the PACER docket, numerous status conferences were held thereafter until it appears that a settlement was reached. The case was dismissed by agreement of the parties on August 22, 2001. Terms of the settlement are unknown, but it seems to have been reached jointly with Gary v. Sheahan, JC-IL-7.

We have no further information on this case.

Summary Authors

Dan Dalton (2/25/2008)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/11229037/parties/wilkes-v-sheahan/

Judge(s)

Darrah, John W. (Illinois)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Farley, Robert Hugh (Illinois)

Attorney for Defendant

Burnham, Thomas M. (Illinois)

Castiglione, Paul Anthony (Illinois)

Driscoll, Patrick T. (Illinois)

Judge(s)

Darrah, John W. (Illinois)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Farley, Robert Hugh (Illinois)

Morrissey, Thomas Gerard (Illinois)

Attorney for Defendant

Burnham, Thomas M. (Illinois)

Castiglione, Paul Anthony (Illinois)

Driscoll, Patrick T. (Illinois)

Jacobs, Michael David (Illinois)

Attorney Contact Information via CourtListener

Documents in the Clearinghouse

Documents in this case

1:01-cv-01592	Docket (PACER)	Aug. 22, 2001	Aug. 22, 2001 Docket
1 1:01-cv-01592	Complaint	March 7, 2001	March 7, 2001 Complaint
23 1:01-cv-01592	Amended Complaint	July 5, 2001	July 5, 2001 Complaint

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Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/11229037/wilkes-v-sheahan/

Last updated June 19, 2026, 6:33 a.m.

ECF Number	Date	Description	Link
1	March 7, 2001	COMPLAINT (Exhibit) - Civil cover sheet - Appearance(s) of Thomas Gerard Morrissey and Robert Hugh Farley Jr. as attorney(s) for plaintiffs Crystal Wilkes, Sharon Hollister and Tonya Townsend (One Original and one copy summons(es) issued.) ( Documents: 1-1 through 1-3) (hp) (Entered: 03/08/2001)	Clearinghouse
7	March 7, 2001	MOTION by plaintiffs for temporary restraining order ; Notice (las) (Entered: 03/16/2001)	RECAP
	March 7, 2001	RECEIPT regarding payment of filing fee paid; on 3/7/01 in the amount of $ 150.00, receipt # 1023380. (hp)
2	March 9, 2001	ATTORNEY APPEARANCE for defendant by Michael David Jacobs, Patrick T. Driscoll Jr., Paul Anthony Castiglione, Thomas M. Burnham. (mw) (Entered: 03/12/2001)	RECAP
9	March 9, 2001	MOTION by plaintiffs to certify a class ; Notice (yap) (Entered: 03/19/2001)	RECAP
3	March 12, 2001	MOTION by defendant to dismiss plaintiff's complaint ; Memorandum in support (Attachments); Notice (las) (Entered: 03/13/2001)	RECAP
4	March 12, 2001	MOTION by defendant for leave to file a memorandum of law in excess of 15 pages (las) (Entered: 03/13/2001)	RECAP
5	March 12, 2001	MEMORANDUM by plaintiffs in support of plaintiffs' application for temporary restraining order (Attachments) ; Notice (las) (Entered: 03/13/2001)	RECAP
6	March 13, 2001	SUPPLEMENTAL authority by defendant in connection with plaintiff's proposed motion for a temporary restraining order; Notice. (yp) (Entered: 03/15/2001)	RECAP
8	March 13, 2001	MINUTE ORDER of 3/13/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Plaintiffs' motion for temporary restraining order is granted [7-1]. Mailed notice. (las) (Entered: 03/16/2001)	RECAP
11	March 14, 2001	MOTION by plaintiffs' to file verifications instanter (Attachments). (vmj) (Entered: 03/22/2001)	RECAP
12	March 14, 2001	RESPONSE by plaintiffs to defendant's motion to dismiss plaintiff's complaint [3-1] (Attachments). (vmj) (Entered: 03/22/2001)	RECAP
	March 14, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 3/14/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Preliminary injunction hearing set for 10:00 4/2/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
10	March 15, 2001	MINUTE ORDER of 3/15/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah: Defendant's response to plaintiff's motion to certify a class [9-1] to be filed on or before 3/22/01. Plaintiff's reply to be filed on or before 3/28/01. Hearing set for 4/2/01 at 10:00 a.m. [9-1]. Mailed notice (yap) (Entered: 03/19/2001)	RECAP
	March 16, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 3/16/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing set to 9:30 4/12/01 . Mailed notice (wah)
15	March 19, 2001	EMERGENCY MOTION by plaintiffs to compel defendant to provide immediate access to the records sought in the notice to inspect (Attachments); Notice. (cem) (Entered: 03/26/2001)	RECAP
16	March 20, 2001	MINUTE ORDER of 3/20/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah: Emergency motion to compel discussed on the record. No notice (cem) (Entered: 03/26/2001)	RECAP
13	March 21, 2001	SECOND EMERGENCY MOTION by plaintiffs to compel (Attachments); Notice. (mw) (Entered: 03/23/2001)	RECAP
14	March 22, 2001	EMERGENCY MOTION by defendant for leave to file documents which bear on plaintiffs' "emergency motion" (Attachments); Notice. (mw) (Entered: 03/23/2001)	RECAP
17	March 22, 2001	RESPONSE by defendant to plaintiff's motion for class certification [9-1]; Notice. (yp) (Entered: 03/26/2001)	RECAP
	March 22, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 3/22/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Preliminary injunction hearing set for 4/2/01 is striken and reset to 10:00 a.m. 5/7/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
18	March 26, 2001	REPLY by plaintiffs to defendant's response to motion for class certification [17-1] (Attachments). (yp) (Entered: 03/27/2001)	RECAP
19	March 29, 2001	TRANSCRIPT of proceedings for the following date(s): 3/14/01 before Honorable John W. Darrah. (maf) (Entered: 03/30/2001)	RECAP
20	April 6, 2001	MOTION by plaintiffs to set a date for the deposition of Sheila Vaughan or in the alternative to allow Ms. Vaufhan testify out of turn at the preliminary injuction hearing (Attachments); Notice (las) (Entered: 04/16/2001)	RECAP
	April 6, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 4/6/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing set for 4/12/01 is stricken and reset to 9:30 5/9/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
21	April 12, 2001	MINUTE ORDER of 4/12/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Plaintiff's motion to set a date for the deposition of Sheila Vaughan [20-1] or in the alternative to allow Ms. Vaufhan to testify out of turn at the preliminary injuction hearing is granted [20-2]. Settlement conference set for 11:30 a.m. on 4/26/01. Mailed notice. (las) (Entered: 04/16/2001)	RECAP
	April 12, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 4/12/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Settlement conference set for 11:30 4/26/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
	April 26, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 4/26/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing set to 9:30 5/10/01 . Settlement conference held. Preliminary injunction hearing set for 5/7/01 is stricken. Mailed notice (ldg)
	May 10, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 5/10/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing held and continued to 9:30 5/24/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
	May 24, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 5/24/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing held and continued to 9:30 5/29/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
	May 29, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 5/29/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing held and continued to 9:30 6/20/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
	June 14, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 6/14/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing set for 6/20/01 is stricken and reset to 9:30 6/25/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
22	June 25, 2001	MINUTE ORDER of 6/25/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing held and continued to 7/5/01 at 9:30 a.m. Plaintiff's oral motion to amend complaint to and including 7/9/01 is granted. The matter of attorney fees will be referred to Judge Coar for consolidation with his fee issue. Mailed notice (eav) (Entered: 06/27/2001)	RECAP
23	July 5, 2001	AMENDED COMPLAINT [1-1] by plaintiffs; Adding Sherrille Maynie, Marvella Everette, Kristine Ricks; Notice. (fce) (Entered: 07/06/2001)	Clearinghouse
	July 5, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 7/5/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing held and continued to 9:30 8/9/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
	Aug. 8, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 8/8/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing set 8/9/01 is stricken and reset to 9:30 8/16/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
	Aug. 13, 2001	SCHEDULE set on 8/13/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah : Status hearing set for 8/16/01 is stricken and reset to 9:30 8/22/01 . Mailed notice (ldg)
24	Aug. 22, 2001	MINUTE ORDER of 8/22/01 by Hon. John W. Darrah: By agreement of the parties and stipulation to dismiss, this cause is dismissed. Terminating case. Mailed notice. (fce) (Entered: 08/27/2001)	RECAP

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Case Details

State / Territory:

Illinois

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Special Collection(s):

Multi-LexSum (in sample)

Strip Search Cases

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 7, 2001

Closing Date: 2001

Case Ongoing: No

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Six women who were brought to the Cook County Jail on arrests made relating to minor offenses and who were then strip searched in front of other inmates and officers.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: No

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Denied

Defendants

County

Cook County Department of Corrections

Cook County Sheriff

Facility Type(s):

Government-run