Case: Fuller v. Tidwell

2:87-03026 | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Filed Date: May 11, 1987

Closed Date: 1987

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

While we have no documents from this case, we do have descriptions in Ellen Barry, River Ginchild & Doreen Lee, Legal Issues for Prisoners with Children, in Children of Incarcerated Parents 147, 160 (Katherine Gabel & Denise Johnston eds., 1995), and Wayne N. Welsh, Counties in Court: Jail Overcrowding and Court-Ordered Reform (1995). They provide the following information:In 1987, male and female prisoners at the San Bernardino County Jail filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Cour…

While we have no documents from this case, we do have descriptions in Ellen Barry, River Ginchild & Doreen Lee, Legal Issues for Prisoners with Children, in Children of Incarcerated Parents 147, 160 (Katherine Gabel & Denise Johnston eds., 1995), and Wayne N. Welsh, Counties in Court: Jail Overcrowding and Court-Ordered Reform (1995). They provide the following information:

In 1987, male and female prisoners at the San Bernardino County Jail filed a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against San Bernardino County. The plaintiffs challenged the constitutionality of their conditions of confinement, alleging overcrowding, inappropriate diet and exercise, and inadequate visitation opportunities.

The parties reached a settlement in the same year, and the District Court approved it. Under the terms of the settlement, guidelines for proper procedure and adequate pregnancy care were established; the Court also specified a jail population cap. The cap was temporarily raised in 1988 pending completion of a planned 960-bed pretrial jail facility, but the Court retained jurisdiction for at least the next eight years to monitor jail populations and conditions.

Summary Authors

Christopher Schad (8/16/2012)

Documents in the Clearinghouse

No documents yet available via the Clearinghouse.

Docket

Last updated April 17, 2024, 3:14 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: California

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Special Collection(s):

California Jail Population Caps

Key Dates

Filing Date: May 11, 1987

Closing Date: 1987

Case Ongoing: No reason to think so

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

prisoners at the San Bernardino County Jail

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown

Filed Pro Se: Unknown

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

County of San Bernardino (San Bernardino), County

Defendant Type(s):

Corrections

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Available Documents:

None of the above

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Issues

General:

Food service / nutrition / hydration

Recreation / Exercise

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Visiting

Crowding / caseload

Pre-PLRA Population Cap

Medical/Mental Health:

Medical care, general

Type of Facility:

Government-run