On March 31, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan granted plaintiffs’ motion for class certification in Dunn et al. v. Cuyahoga County. The case alleges that Cuyahoga County, Ohio was deliberately indifferent to pretrial detainees’ right to timely release from jail after the legal basis for their detention ended. Plaintiffs maintain that Cuyahoga County overdetained plaintiffs and a class of similarly situated people in violation of the 14th Amendment. The certified class includes a range of pretrial detainees who were not released from jail within 18 hours after the basis for their detention ended.
HSPRD Partner Kate Schwartz is one of the lead attorneys on the case with co-counsel Dami Animashaun and Janet Herold of Justice Catalyst Law. “Liberty is a fundamental constitutional right, and people should not be forced to needlessly languish in jail for hours after they are entitled to release,” said Kate Schwartz. “We’re extremely pleased the court granted class certification in this important case, and we look forward to seeking justice on behalf of all class members for the harm they suffered.”
Click HERE to read the court’s order.
Click HERE to read earlier case details.
