Filed Date: 1984
Clearinghouse coding complete
In April 1984, thirteen female inmates at the Colorado Women's Correctional Facility in Fremont County, Colorado, filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. §1983 against the Colorado Department of Corrections in the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado. The plaintiffs, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union and Colorado Rural Legal Services, asked the court for declaratory and injunctive relief as well as monetary damages. They alleged that their constitutional rights had been violated by deficiencies at the prison in the areas of overcrowding, sanitation, safety, medical care, food service, and discrimination against handicapped inmates.
On February 10, 1986, the parties entered into a consent decree, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado (Judge Donald Campbell) signed it on February 14, 1986. The order provided for improvements in the areas of medical care, storage for inmate property, handicapped access, food service, fire safety, heating, lighting, and grievance procedures. No monetary damages were awarded.
The six-month compliance report filed with the court noted that the defendants were in full compliance with the consent decree. We have no further information on the proceedings in this case.
Summary Authors
Kristen Sagar (3/31/2006)
Campbell, Donald E. (Colorado)
Miller, David H. (Colorado)
Myers, Glen (Colorado)
Rediger, Richard K. (Colorado)
Sachs, Benjamin I. (Colorado)
Campbell, Donald E. (Colorado)
Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 2:47 p.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Colorado
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: 1984
Case Ongoing: No reason to think so
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
female inmates at the Colorado Women's Correctional Facility in Fremont County, Colorado
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: Yes
Class Action Outcome: Granted
Defendants
Colorado Department of Corrections (Canon City), State
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Injunction / Injunctive-like Settlement
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Order Duration: 1986 - None
Issues
General:
Food service / nutrition / hydration
Sanitation / living conditions
Staff (number, training, qualifications, wages)
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Discrimination-basis:
Disability (inc. reasonable accommodations)
Affected Sex or Gender:
Type of Facility: