Filed Date: July 24, 1991
Closed Date: 1993
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This 1991 strip search case was brought by four female detainees arrested for minor traffic offenses and held at the Creek County Jail in Sapulpa, Oklahoma where they were strip-searched notwithstanding the lack of reasonable suspicion to believe they were concealing weapons or contraband. They filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma where the judge (H. Dale Cook) held the sheriff was not entitled to qualified immunity because it was clearly established in 1991 and 1992 that blanket policy for strip searches of detainees was unconstitutional.
The sheriff appealed and on March 23, 1993, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals (Seymour, Anderson and Ebel, Circuit Judges) affirmed and remanded.
We have no further information about this case.
Summary Authors
Denise Heberle (8/7/2012)
Anderson, Stephen Hale (Utah)
Cook, Harold Dale (Oklahoma)
Ebel, David M. (Colorado)
Collier, Ron (Oklahoma)
Harlan, John Lowell (Oklahoma)
Last updated March 26, 2025, 8:15 a.m.
State / Territory: Oklahoma
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: July 24, 1991
Closing Date: 1993
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Four women who were arrested for minor traffic violations, taken to the Creek County Jail in Sapulpa, OK, and subjected to strip searches notwithstanding the lack of reasonable suspicion to believe they were concealing weapons or contraband.
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Creek County, OK (Creek), County
Sherrif of Creek County (Creek), County
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Unreasonable search and seizure
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Affected Sex/Gender(s):
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions: