Hearst Publications Feature HSSK Class-Action Lawsuit Related to Per-Day Costs for CT Inmates
06/16/2023 | New Haven RegisterHearst publications reported on a class-action lawsuit filed against Michelle Gilman, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, and Angel Quiros, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Corrections. Hurwitz Sagarin Slossberg & Knuff and the ACLU Foundation of Connecticut filed the suit on behalf of three former Connecticut prison inmates who are challenging the state’s so-called “pay-to-stay” law.
The plaintiffs argue the daily rates inmates are charged – upwards of $90,000 per year – are arbitrary and not based on each individual inmate’s prison costs. They contend the system violates the Excessive Fines Clause of the U.S. Constitution and disproportionately impacts people and communities of color.
During the lawsuit, the state legislature amended the “pay-to-stay” statute eliminating the ability to collect on recoveries on civil judgments but retaining the right to collect on inheritance, which is the focus of the action.
The high-profile case is front and center, as Connecticut plans to increase the per-day cost of inmates by $74 dollars (from $249) to $323 a day. The attorneys on the case include HSSK Partner David Slossberg, associates Erica Nolan and Kyle Bechet and the ACLU Foundation of Connecticut.