Case: Horn v. Oldham Co.

3:83-00208 | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky

Filed Date: March 2, 1983

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On March 2, 1983, Greg Horn, a 14 year-old minor in custody at the Oldham County Jail ("OCJ") and his mother filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against Oldham County, Kentucky and the administrators of the OCJ. The plaintiffs, represented by private attorneys and the Youth Law Center of San Francisco, California, alleged poor sanitary conditions of confinement, failure to…

On March 2, 1983, Greg Horn, a 14 year-old minor in custody at the Oldham County Jail ("OCJ") and his mother filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, seeking declaratory and injunctive relief against Oldham County, Kentucky and the administrators of the OCJ. The plaintiffs, represented by private attorneys and the Youth Law Center of San Francisco, California, alleged poor sanitary conditions of confinement, failure to provide personal hygiene materials, failure to provide adequate educational materials, failure to separate juvenile detainees from adult offenders, lack of medical or psychological screening for incoming detainees, inadequate staff, failure to supervise detainees, and because of these failures, the wrongful death of Mrs. Horn's other son Robert Lee (who had committed suicide during unsupervised confinement). The suit was also filed under the Juvenile Justice Act, 42 U.S.C. § 5601 et seq.

On January 11, 1985, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky (Judge Thomas Austin Ballantine, Jr.) approved a Consent Decree. The wrongful death claim was settled, and the Defendants agreed to cease use of OCJ for detention of juveniles. The consent decree, however, did not apply to persons under 18 years of age who are charged with serious offenses and who have been transferred from the jurisdiction of the District Court to the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court. There is no docket or further information for this case.

Summary Authors

Greg Venker (5/18/2006)

People


Judge(s)

Ballantine, Thomas Austin Jr. (Kentucky)

Attorney for Plaintiff

Bell, James Raymond (California)

Lowery, Jack (Kentucky)

Attorney for Defendant

Miller, Carl (Kentucky)

Prather, Stewart L. (Kentucky)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

3:83-00208

Civil Rights Complaint for Declaratory, Injunctive, and other Equitable Relief and Damages

March 3, 1983

March 3, 1983

Complaint

3:83-00208

Consent Decree

Horn v. Oldham Co

Jan. 11, 1985

Jan. 11, 1985

Order/Opinion

Docket

Last updated Jan. 24, 2024, 3:11 a.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: Kentucky

Case Type(s):

Juvenile Institution

Key Dates

Filing Date: March 2, 1983

Case Ongoing: No reason to think so

Plaintiffs

Plaintiff Description:

All juveniles who are currently, have been during the past year or in the future will be confined in the Oldham County Jail.

Plaintiff Type(s):

Private Plaintiff

Attorney Organizations:

Youth Law Center

Public Interest Lawyer: Yes

Filed Pro Se: No

Class Action Sought: Yes

Class Action Outcome: Granted

Defendants

Oldham County Jail (Oldham), County

Case Details

Causes of Action:

42 U.S.C. § 1983

Juvenile Justice Act, 42 U.S.C. § 5672

Constitutional Clause(s):

Due Process

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Available Documents:

Complaint (any)

Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief

Outcome

Prevailing Party: Plaintiff

Nature of Relief:

Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement

Damages

Source of Relief:

Settlement

Form of Settlement:

Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree

Order Duration: 1985 - None

Issues

General:

Bathing and hygiene

Classification / placement

Education

Personal injury

Sanitation / living conditions

Staff (number, training, qualifications, wages)

Suicide prevention

Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:

Youth / Adult separation

Affected Sex or Gender:

Male

Medical/Mental Health:

Medical care, general

Mental health care, general

Suicide prevention

Type of Facility:

Government-run