The City of New York has agreed to pay $21.5 million to resolve class action lawsuit claims that it violated the rights of people detained in its Central Booking facilities.
The New York settlement benefits individuals who were detained in New York City’s Central Booking facilities between April 8, 2017, and Dec. 27, 2019, for detainees at Brooklyn Central Booking and between Feb. 3, 2020, and March 1, 2023, for detainees at all Central Booking locations.
According to the class action lawsuit, the City of New York violated the rights of detainees by subjecting them to unconstitutional conditions in Central Booking facilities. The city denies any wrongdoing but has agreed to a $21.5 million class action settlement to resolve the allegations.
Central Booking facilities are places where individuals are taken after being arrested but before being arraigned. These facilities are often overcrowded and have been the subject of lawsuits in the past.
Under the terms of the New York settlement, class members can receive up to $475 for each time they were held in a Central Booking facility during the class period.
Class members can confirm the number of times they were held in a Central Booking facility by contacting the settlement administrator.
The deadline for exclusion and objection is Oct. 5, 2026.
The final approval hearing for the civil rights violations settlement is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2026.
To receive settlement benefits, class members must submit a valid claim form by Oct. 19, 2026.