Last Thursday, Juvenile Law Center, along with its pro bono co-counsel at Hangley Aronchick Segal & Pudlin, added Luzerne County as a defendant in its federal class action lawsuit. The amended complaint states that various Luzerne County officials routinely failed to comply with federal and state laws protecting the rights of youth in juvenile proceedings. These officials include the Luzerne County District Attorney, the Luzerne County Probation Department and the Luzerne County Public Defender. According to the lawsuit, “That Ciavarella was the presiding judge in the Luzerne County juvenile court does not excuse county officials from complying with controlling United States Supreme Court case law, Pennsylvania statutory law, or Pennsylvania Rules of Juvenile Court regarding plaintiffs’ due process rights.”

The amended complaint also adds a wrongful imprisonment claim against the owners of the private for-profit juvenile detention centers who provided kickbacks to the judges in return for the judges’ guarantees that youth would be placed in the detention facilities.

Juvenile Law Center has filed this class action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of children adjudicated delinquent and/or placed in detention by Judge Ciavarella between 2003 and 2008.

DOWNLOAD

Amended Class Action Complaint

Attachments for Amended Complaint

JLC’s Luzerne County Update Center—the latest news, media, and resources, and documents surrounding the juvenile court injustice.