Ricky Wyatt v. Virginia Rogers, United States of America, Amicus Curiae

985 F. Supp. 1356 (1997)

From our private database of 46,500+ case briefs, written and edited by humans—never with AI.

Ricky Wyatt v. Virginia Rogers, United States of America, Amicus Curiae

United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama
985 F. Supp. 1356 (1997)

Facts

Spanning from 1970 to 2004, the district court oversaw the implementation of judicially established standards of care for institutionalized patients with mental illness or intellectual disabilities housed in Alabama. Ricky Wyatt (plaintiff) represented the class in a four-phase suit against Alabama state officials (defendants) for failure to provide adequate care. In 1971, the court ordered state officials to comply with certain minimum standards of care, dubbed the Wyatt standards. In 1986, the court approved a proposed settlement, which (1) removed active judicial supervision of the state-run facilities but required that the state reach substantial compliance of the Wyatt standards; (2) required the state to obtain accreditation and certification at its facilities; and (3) required community placement of individuals. Additionally, the settlement required establishment of patient advocates and quality-assurance systems, resulting in the creation of the Wyatt Consultant Committee, which provided expert guidance for compliance; kept the class attorney apprised of state progress; and acted as mediator. For any modifications to the standards, the court ordered the parties to get input from class members, public interest organizations, former patients, family members, and caregivers so that the best interests of the class were protected. The final and current phase of litigation began in 1991, when state officials filed a motion for a judicial finding of compliance and termination. In 1993, Wyatt moved for further relief based on the state’s failure to comply with the 1986 order or American with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Trial proceeded on the state’s 1991 motion and Wyatt’s 1993 motion. During these proceedings, the court discovered substantial abuse and lack of compliance with standards at the Eufaula Adolescence Center, which housed children suffering from mental illness or emotional disturbance. By 1995, the state had still not instituted a transitional plan for providing less restrictive services, and the children were kept in unsafe conditions due to gang activity; subjected to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; subjected to improper restraints; and the facility failed to provide individualized therapeutic treatment. The state was aware of these conditions but did not take quick action to protect the children. As a result, the court issued an injunction to immediately correct all issues; however, the center was subsequently closed. In 2004, the court found that the state had finally complied with the entire 1986 settlement agreement.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Thompson, C.J.)

What to do next…

  1. Unlock this case brief with a free (no-commitment) trial membership of Quimbee.

    You’ll be in good company: Quimbee is one of the most widely used and trusted sites for law students, serving more than 832,000 law students since 2011. Some law schools even subscribe directly to Quimbee for all their law students.

  2. Learn more about Quimbee’s unique (and proven) approach to achieving great grades at law school.

    Quimbee is a company hell-bent on one thing: helping you get an “A” in every course you take in law school, so you can graduate at the top of your class and get a high-paying law job. We’re not just a study aid for law students; we’re the study aid for law students.

Here's why 832,000 law students have relied on our case briefs:

  • Written by law professors and practitioners, not other law students. 46,500 briefs, keyed to 994 casebooks. Top-notch customer support.
  • The right amount of information, includes the facts, issues, rule of law, holding and reasoning, and any concurrences and dissents.
  • Access in your classes, works on your mobile and tablet. Massive library of related video lessons and high quality multiple-choice questions.
  • Easy to use, uniform format for every case brief. Written in plain English, not in legalese. Our briefs summarize and simplify; they don’t just repeat the court’s language.

Access this case brief for FREE

With a 7-day free trial membership
Here's why 832,000 law students have relied on our case briefs:
  • Reliable - written by law professors and practitioners, not other law students
  • The right length and amount of information - includes the facts, issue, rule of law, holding and reasoning, and any concurrences and dissents
  • Access in your class - works on your mobile and tablet
  • 46,500 briefs - keyed to 994 casebooks
  • Uniform format for every case brief
  • Written in plain English - not in legalese and not just repeating the court's language
  • Massive library of related video lessons - and practice questions
  • Top-notch customer support

Access this case brief for FREE

With a 7-day free trial membership