Facts

Dylan Camarlinghi is a lifelong Santa Clara County resident. On February 9, 2020, Camarlinghi was arrested after an alleged altercation in his home with a friend. He was booked into the Santa Clara County Jail by an employee of the Santa Clara Sheriff's Office. Camarlinghi's initial appearance was scheduled for the following Thursday, but the District Attorney declined to prosecute him on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. The D.A. noted this information in a computer system that was updated and immediately available to the Sheriff's Office. Nonetheless, the Sheriff's Office waited until two days later to begin processing his release, and Camarlinghi was eventually released more than 60 hours after the D.A. declined to prosecute. Camarlinghi subsequently filed suit against Santa Clara County, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated.

PLAINTIFF'S CONTENTIONS: Plaintiff contended that the elected Santa Clara County Sheriff, Laurie Smith, was the final policymaker for the Santa Clara County Jail; that the Jail had a policy of incarcerating people for up to several days after the Santa Clara County District Attorney declined prosecution; that once the D.A. declined prosecution, the legal basis for the incarceration ended, and the jail should immediately release a person. The plaintiff contended that he had been detained for over two days after the D.A. declined to prosecute him, and that others had been detained for as long as six days after prosecution was declined. Plaintiff contended that the defendant's policy and the continued incarceration were unlawful and violated his and others' substantive due process rights and procedural due process rights.

DEFENDANT'S CONTENTIONS: Defendant denied any wrongdoing or liability and all the plaintiff's material and legal allegations.

Result

The parties reached a settlement agreement wherein Santa Clara County admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to pay $2.375 million to settle class members' claims. Class members with valid claims will received $250 per hour for each hour of compensable detention from 12 up to 24 hours and $295 per hour for each hour over 24 hours.