Case: Escamilla v. Santos

5:74-cv-00029 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas

Filed Date: July 29, 1974

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Case Summary

In 1974, inmates at the Webb County jail filed a section 1983 action against Webb County officials, alleging intolerable living conditions at the jail. After two years of litigation, the district court for the Southern District of Texas (Judge Robert O'Connor) entered a consent decree but denied plaintiffs' motion for attorney's fees. A few months later, Congress passed the Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Award Act, and plaintiffs moved for reconsideration of their request for attorney's fees. The district court granted attorney's fees, but the Fifth Circuit reversed the decision in 1979. Escamilla v. Santos, 591 F. 3d 1086 (5th Cir. 1979). The docket for this case is not available on PACER, and the only reported decision we have on file concerns attorney's fees rather than the substantive terms of the consent decree.

Summary Authors

Lauren Cutson (5/26/2005)

People


Judge(s)

Godbold, John Cooper (Louisiana)

Rubin, Alvin Benjamin (Louisiana)

Attorney for Plaintiff

De Anda, Ricardo E. (Nevada)

Rich, Paul D. (Texas)

Attorney for Defendant

Morales, Richard G. Sr. (Texas)

Judge(s)

Godbold, John Cooper (Louisiana)

Rubin, Alvin Benjamin (Louisiana)

Thornberry, William Homer (Texas)

Attorney for Defendant

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

78-01649

Reported Opinion

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit

March 22, 1979

March 22, 1979

Order/Opinion

591 F.2d 591

Docket

Last updated Feb. 15, 2024, 3:01 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Texas

Case Type(s):

Jail Conditions

Key Dates

Filing Date: July 29, 1974

Case Ongoing: No reason to think so

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

Prisoners of the Webb County jail alleging intolerable living conditions in the Webb County jail in violation of the eighth amendment

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Public Interest Lawyer: Unknown

Filed Pro Se: Unknown

Class Action Sought: No

Class Action Outcome: Not sought

Defendants

Webb County Jail (Webb), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Constitutional Clause(s):

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Available Documents:

Any published opinion

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Order Duration: 1976 - None

Issues

General:

Conditions of confinement

Sanitation / living conditions

Totality of conditions

Type of Facility:

Government-run