Butler County settles unlawful detention lawsuit for $1.2 million

Butler County and the city of Fairfield have agreed to pay $1.2 million to settle a class action lawsuit. The lawsuit involved about 500 people who claimed they were unlawfully detained at Butler County Jail. Many were held for more than 48 hours before seeing a judge, which is against the law. The lawsuit began in 2019, filed by Anselm Caddell and Caleb Lawson. They were arrested in Fairfield and held for several days without a court hearing. Lawson reported being in jail for five days, while Caddell said he was held for four days without a chance to post bond. Attorney Carl Lewis commented on the situation, saying, "Justice delayed, justice denied." He noted that people should not have to experience long waits to see a judge. About 500 others who were arrested from February 2017 to February 2019 joined the lawsuit, sharing similar experiences of delays in their court hearings. The case was certified as a class action in 2023. The lawsuit targeted the Fairfield Municipal Court, former Judge Joyce Campbell, and Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones. Lewis mentioned the importance of timely hearings and suggested using virtual technology for certain cases to minimize unnecessary detentions. In response to the lawsuit, the court has since updated its procedures to ensure that hearings occur within 48 hours of an arrest. The sheriff's office is now also tracking this timeline. Former Judge Campbell retired last fall after serving for 25 years. Zachary Zoz has been appointed to take over her role starting March 31, 2025.