Federal judge grants class action status to inmates at youth prison

U.S. Judge James Peterson gave class-action status to all inmates at the Lincoln Hills School for Boys and Copper Lake School for Girls, which means attorneys representing inmates who in January filed a lawsuit in federal court against state Corrections officials could also represent the rest of the prison’s inmates and future ones, too.

The decision gives attorneys access to information about more inmates’ experiences there and allows the inmates to be subject to any settlement or verdict that results from the lawsuit.

Peterson made his ruling during a telephone conference between Peterson, DOC attorney Sam Hall and attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin and the Juvenile Law Center, who are representing the inmates.