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Nebraska Mental Health Patients' Class Action Shot Down for Class Overbreadth
Numerous involuntarily committed mental health patients in Nebraska filed a federal class action lawsuit seeking declaratory and injunctive relief, claiming sexual and physical abuse by male staff and patients at three state facilities. They also claimed an array of inadequacies in the psychological treatment and life skills training they received. The district court certified the class and the defendants appealed.
On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit found that the district court had certified a class of essentially everyone who had ever been in the involved facilities, as well as anyone who ever would be, with respect to any treatment offered at those facilities. The appellate court found this class was too broad to permit under Fed.R.Civ.P. 23, and that jurisdictional problems existed. See: Elizabeth M v. Montenez, 458 F.3d 779 (8th Cir. 2006).
On appeal, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit found that the district court had certified a class of essentially everyone who had ever been in the involved facilities, as well as anyone who ever would be, with respect to any treatment offered at those facilities. The appellate court found this class was too broad to permit under Fed.R.Civ.P. 23, and that jurisdictional problems existed. See: Elizabeth M v. Montenez, 458 F.3d 779 (8th Cir. 2006).
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Related legal case
Elizabeth M v. Montenez
| Year | 2006 |
|---|---|
| Cite | 458 F.3d 779 (8th Cir. 2006) |
| Level | Court of Appeals |
| Injunction Status | N/A |