Dunn et al v. Thomas et al
Filing 1205
PHASE 2A OPINION AND ORDER PRELIMINARILY APPROVING ADA MENTAL HEALTH SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT: Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(e), the parties jointly move the court to grant preliminary approval to their proposed ADA mental health settle ment agreement in Phase 2A of this litigation; to approve the form of notice to class members of the proposed settlement agreement (attached as Exhibit A); to approve the form for objecting to or commenting on the proposed settlement agreement (attac hed as Exhibit B); and to approve the process for distributing these documents and collecting comments, as further set out below. It is therefore ORDERED that the joint motions for preliminary approval (doc. nos. 1175 and 1197 ) are granted as follows: 1. The proposed settlement agreement (doc. no. 1100 ) is preliminarily approved; final approval will be subject to a hearing and review by this court of any objections to or comments about the agreements terms submitted by class members, an d to the courts resolution of certain outstanding issues identified in open court at a hearing held on February 16, 2017, and set for briefing below. 2. An injunctive-relief settlement class, defined as any current or future inmate in the physical cu stody of the Alabama Department of Corrections who has a disability as defined, as further set out. 3. The Southern Poverty Law Center, the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program, and Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC, are appointed a s class counsel to represent the settlement class under Rule 23(g). 4. The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) is to provide notice of the proposed settlement agreement as outlined below by March 6, 2017, and to collect comments from class membe rs as further outlined below by the submission deadline of April 5, 2017, as further set out. 5. By no later than May 1, 2017, the parties are to confirm in written filings with the court the following agreement, stipulated to during a hearing held i n open court on February 16, 2017: This Agreement does not represent a settlement of all potential current and future claims that prisoners may bring under the ADA or Rehabilitation Acts. 6. By no later than May 1, 2017, the parties are to file pre-h earing briefs, both summarizing by topic and responding to the objections to and comments on the proposed settlement agreement that have been submitted by class members. These briefs must include citations to the page numbers on which any referenced objections or comments appear in the docketed compilations of responses. 7. By no later than May 1, 2017, the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program (ADAP) will file a brief concerning the reasonableness of the proposed settlement agreement, which wil l include one or more expert opinions addressing the adequacy of the settlement. 8. A fairness hearing is set for 10:00 a.m. on June 2, 2017, in Courtroom 2FMJ of the Frank M. Johnson Jr. United States Courthouse Complex, One Church Street, Montgomer y, Alabama. 9. After receiving objections and comments from class members, the court will determine from whom it intends to hear oral testimony. This testimony will be heard by videoconference from various ADOC facilities. Signed by Honorable Judge Myron H. Thompson on 2/22/2017. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit A, # 2 Exhibit B)(furn: AG, Calendar)(kh, )
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