Camarlinghi v. Santa Clara County (2020)

Background: Filed in April 2021, Camarlinghi v. Santa Clara County was a class-action lawsuit that sought damages for Santa Clara County’s systemic overdetention of  individuals after the county District Attorney (DA) declined to prosecute them, in violation of their due process rights under the Fourteenth Amendment. The complaint detailed that some detainees, including the lead plaintiff Dylan Camarlinghi, were held in custody for days after the DA decided not to prosecute. 

Impact: In December 2022, the suit was settled for $2.375 million, establishing a new high rate for damage payments due to individuals per hour of constitutional overdetention. The case set an important precedent in protecting the constitutional rights of detainees, and securing financial relief for violation of those rights. 

Media coverage: Bloomberg Law, Prison Legal News