$1.2 million settlement for Fairfield detention case

A class-action lawsuit in Fairfield has resulted in a $1.2 million settlement. The case involved hundreds of people held at Butler County Jail for longer than 48 hours without seeing a judge. This settlement was formalized in federal court in Cincinnati earlier this month. The lawsuit began six years ago. It started with a man who was arrested after a traffic stop on a Thursday. He did not see a judge until the following Tuesday, which led to the legal action. Around 500 individuals were included in the lawsuit. They were arrested without warrants and held for more than two days without a bond hearing. U.S. District Judge Douglas Cole ruled that holding someone for more than 48 hours without a hearing violates the Constitution. The lawsuit pointed to Judge Joyce Campbell as having a policy that prevented initial hearings on Fridays and Mondays. As a result, someone arrested late in the week could have faced delays of up to five days. The defendants named in the case included Judge Campbell, the city of Fairfield, and Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones. Following the lawsuit, new procedures were put in place to ensure hearings are held within 48 hours of an arrest. Butler County's Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer stated that the jail’s role is only to hold individuals until the court requests their transport for a hearing. He emphasized that they are not responsible for the delays. Judge Campbell did not respond to requests for comment. Fairfield city officials declined to provide statements. Attorney Paul Laufman, representing the plaintiffs, expressed that the court's policy led to many people staying in jail longer than allowed by law. He indicated that the lawsuit has resulted in significant changes in how the Fairfield Municipal Court operates.