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Amador v. Baca is a class action lawsuit brought against the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department (LASD) challenging the manner in which female inmates were strip-searched at the Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF) in Lynwood, California. There is a team of attorneys representing the women who were searched at Lynwood, and they want to get in touch with class members regarding the case.

UPDATE: On October 31, 2019, Plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval of a modified settlement agreement. The only difference between the previous agreement and new agreement is that, pursuant to the court’s direction, the parties removed a provision for a small portion of the settlement be used to fund the development of LASD gender-responsive policies. Those funds ($3M) will now become part of the money to be distributed to class members. The hearing on the renewed motion is scheduled for December 2, 2019. If the Court approves the new agreement, class members will be able to submit claims on this website. It is expected that formal notice of the proposed settlement will be sent to class members around January 6, 2020.

The plaintiffs brought this lawsuit to challenge unconstitutional, group strip search practices at the Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF) in Lynwood, California. The plaintiffs specifically challenge the LASD’s longstanding practice of requiring female inmates to submit to highly-invasive, visual-body-cavity inspections, in groups, and without individual privacy.

In November 2016, a federal court allowed the lawsuit to proceed as a class action on behalf of all women searched in groups, in the bus garage, upon entering/returning to Lynwood, between March 2008 and January 2015. In June 2017, the court ruled that the LASD violated the U.S. Constitution by conducting unnecessarily invasive strip searches, without individual privacy, despite the fact that easy alternatives were available.

The class includes all female inmates who were searched in groups, in the outdoor bus garage, upon admission to the Century Regional Detention Facility (or upon return to the facility), from March 5, 2008 through January 30, 2015.

If you would like to show your interest in this case, and would like the attorneys representing the class to be able to contact you regarding case updates, please submit your contact information and answer a few short questions by clicking the button below.