Case 9:18-cv-80810-WM Document 79 Entered on FLSD Docket 11/16/2018 Page 1 of 4

U N ITED ST ATE S D ISTRIC T C O U RT
SO UTH ERN D ISTR ICT O F FLO R IDA
CivilN o.l8-cv-8o8lo-M atthew m an
H .C .,a m inor,by and through hisparentand natural
guardian,Jenny C .;and M .F.,a m inor,by and through
hisparentand naturalguardian,A sisa Rollc,on behalf
ofthemselvesandallotherssimilarly situated,
FILED l)y

D.C.

Plaintiffs,

N2V 15 2212
s'revEs M LARIMORE

RlC BR AD SH AW ,Palm Beach County Sheriff,in his
individualand officialcapacity;and SCHO O L BOA RD
OF PA LM BEA CH CO UN TY ,

CUERKt)b DIST.cT.
S.D.oFFkî.-W RB.

D efendants.

O R DER G R AN TIN G JO IN T M O TION T O C O N DITIO NA LLY C ERTIFY CLA SS

PRELIMINARILYAPPROVECLASSSETTLEMENTyAPPOINTCLASSCOUNSV ,
AND SET FAIRNESS HEARING IDE 781
The Court,having considered the parties' JointM otion to Conditionally Certify Class,
A ppoint Class Counsel,Prelim inarily Approve Settlem ent,and seta Fairness H earing filed on

November15,2018(tdM otion'')gDE 781,hereby:
FIN DS A ND O R DER S:

ThisOrderincorporatesby referencethe SettlementAgreementfiled asExhibitA gDE
78-11to the M otion. The definitionsin the SettlementAgreementand alltennsand
conditions stated therein shallbe incorporated in this Order by reference and shallhave
the sam e force and effect.

Case 9:18-cv-80810-WM Document 79 Entered on FLSD Docket 11/16/2018 Page 2 of 4

2. The Courtfindsforpurposes ofsettlementonly thattheprerequisitesfora classaction

underRule23(a)and (b)(2)oftheFederalRulesofCivilProcedure havebeen satisfied
in that:(a)theClassisso numerousthatjoinderofa11membersisimpracticable'
,(b)
there are questions oflaw orfad common to the Class;@)the Plaintiffs'claims are
typicalofthoseoftheClass;and (d)thePlaintiffswillfairly and adequatelyprotectthe
interestsofthe Class.

Accordingly,pursuantto Rule23(a)and (b)(2)oftheFederalRulesofCivilProcedure,
thefollowingSettlementClassand SettlementSub-classes(collectivelytheû$C1ass'')are
certified:
Settlem entC lass:

i. Allpresentand futurejuveniles(i.e.individualstmdertheageof18 and
charged as adults) who are now orwillbe incarcerated in segregated
housing w hile in the custody ofthe Palm Beach County Sheriffs Oftice

(Cdsheriff'sOftèce'').
b. Settlem entSub-classes:

i. Allpresentand futurejuveniles(Le.individualsundertheageof18 and
charged as adults)with disabilities,as detined by the lndividualswith
D isabilities Education A ct, w ho are now or w ill be incarcerated in
segregated housing while in the custody ofthe Sherifps Office and are in
need of special education evaluations,instnlction,accom m odations,and

relatedservices(tûIDEA subclass''l'and

Allpresentand futurejuveniles(i.e.individualsundertheageof18 and
charged as adults)with disabilities,as defined by the Americanswith
D isabilities A ct and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation A ct of 1973,w ho
are now orw illbe incarcerated in segregated housing while in the custody

oftheSheriffsOffice(SCADA and504 Subclass'').
4. The Courttinds thatthe Law Firm ofCohen M ilstein Sellers & Toll,PLLC,the Hum an
Rights D efense Center,and the Legal A id Society of Palm Beach County, Inc.,have
extensive experience in prosecuting class action cases, and appoints the following

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Case 9:18-cv-80810-WM Document 79 Entered on FLSD Docket 11/16/2018 Page 3 of 4

attorneys as Class Counsel pursuant to Rule 23(g) of the Federal Rules of Civil
Procedure:

Theodore Jon Leopold,Esq.
D iana Leigh M artin,Esq.
Cohen M ilstein Sellers& Toll,PLLC
2925 PG A Boulevard
Suite 200
Palm Beach G ardens,FL 33410
561-515-1400
Fax:561-515-1401

Email:tleopold@ cohenmilstein.com
Email:dmartin@cohenmilstein.com
Sabarish P Neelakanta,Esq.
M asimba M utamba,Esq.
Hum an Rights Defense Center
P.O .Box 1151
Lake W orth,FL 33460
561-360-2523
Fax:866-735-7136

Email:sneelakanta@ hrdc-law.org
Email:mmutamba@ hrdc-law.org
M elissa M arie D uncan
LegalAid Society ofPalm Beach County
423 FenzStreet
Suite 200
W estPalm Beach,FL 33401
561-655-8944
Fax:655-5269

Email:mduncan@ legalaidpbc.org
The Court grants prelim inary approval of the Settlem ent A greem ent as being fair,

reasonableand adequateto theClass,subjectto furtherconsideration and finalapproval
atthe FairnessH earing.

6. Because this proposed Class Settlement is certified under Rule 23(b)(2),the Class
m em bers cannot itopt out'' of the Settlem ent, nor are the parties required to provide
notice to the Class. Notice ofthe Settlem entA greem entas required by the ClassA ction

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Case 9:18-cv-80810-WM Document 79 Entered on FLSD Docket 11/16/2018 Page 4 of 4

FairnessAct,28 U.S.C.j17l5(b),to the U.S.Attorney General,the Florida Attorney
General'sOffice,and/orany othernecessary partiesshallbemadeasrequired by law .
A Faim ess H earing willbe held on Tuesday,M arch 5,2019,at2:00 p.m .in the W est

Palm Beach Division before United StatesM agistrateJudge W illiam M atthewman atthe
U.S. D istrict Courthouse located at 701 Clem atis Street, W est Palm Beach, Florida

33401in courtroom six on thethird floor. Atthehearing,the Courtwillconsider:(a)

objections and comments on the proposed Settlement Agreement; (b) whether the
Settlem entA greem entshould be finally approved as fair,reasonable,and adequate'
,and

(c)whetheritshallbeentered astheFinalJudgmentin thisaction. PmsuanttoCAFA,
28 U.S.C.j1715(d),finalapprovalofthe SettlementAgreementshallnotbe issued
earlierthan 90 days afternotice ofthe Settlem entA greem entism ade pursuantto CA FA ,

28U.S.C.j1715(b).

8. The Courtretainsjurisdiction to considera11furtherapplications arising outoforin
cormection w ith the Settlem entAgreem ent.
D O N E A ND O RD ER ED in C m bers atW estPalm B each,Palm Beach County,in the
southem D istrictofFlorida,this

/J dayofNovember2018.
,

W ILLIA M M A TT EW M AN
UN ITED STA TES M A GISTRA TE JU D GE

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