The lawyers at Starrs Mihm & Caschette LLP have substantial experience representing government employees or agencies in matters related to civil rights and the conditions of public institutions. Examples of the types of civil rights cases we have handled are as follows:

Conditions - Public Institutions.Nieberger v. Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo, United States District Court for the District of Colorado. Michael Mihm, as co-counsel with the Colorado Attorney General's Office, represented the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo in a highly-publicized class action filed by eight patients found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. The case concerned the conditions and staffing levels at the medium and maximum security facilities at the Institute. The case was settled shortly before trial.

Illegal Search and Seizure.At the request of the U.S. Department of Justice, Rich Caschette represented a former DEA supervisor in civil rights action brought by four plaintiffs for alleged illegal search and seizure and arrest in their home.

Conditions - Correctional Facilities.Michael Mihm and Elizabeth Hyatt represented a national health-care company that contracted with county jails and private prison companies to provide health care to inmates. Some of the many dozens of cases that Mr. Mihm and Ms. Hyatt handled on behalf of the client company, and its physicians and nurses include the following:

• Conditions.Mr. Mihm and Ms. Hyatt represented the client company, its physicians and staff in dozens of lawsuits filed by inmates contending that the county administrators, jails and private prisons violated their civil rights by failing to provide adequate health care and psychiatric care to inmates. All of these lawsuits were eventually dismissed without payment by the clients.
• Death of Inmate.Mr. Mihm and Ms. Hyatt represented the client company in a highly-publicized case where an inmate died in custody after being repeatedly pepper-sprayed by jail guards. The case was settled prior to trial.
• Sexual Assault.Mr. Mihm represented the client company in a case filed by an inmate who accused a male nurse of sexually assaulting her while she was incarcerated. The matter was ultimately dismissed without any payment.
• Medical Malpractice.Ms. Hyatt represented several nurses and the client company in a medical malpractice case filed by an inmate who accused a nurse of putting ear drops in his eyes and causing him permanent eye damage. After a four-day jury trial, Ms. Hyatt obtained a directed verdict for all but one of the defendants. The jury found in favor of the remaining defendant.
• Death of Inmate.Mr. Mihm represented the client company and a physician in a highly-publicized inmate death case in which an inmate had a heart-attack after being strapped to a restraint board. The decedent's family alleged that the restraint board constituted cruel and unusual punishment, and violated the decedent's civil rights. The matter was settled before trial.
• Inmate Suicide.Ms. Hyatt represented the client company, its administrators and a staff member in a cases arising from the suicide of a young inmate. The family alleged that the county jail and the client company violated the inmates civil rights by failing to provide adequate psychiatric care and precautions. The matter was settled prior to trial.

If you or your agency are involved in civil rights litigation, the lawyers of Starrs Mihm & Caschette have a long track record of successful outcomes in this area of the law. Please call us to discuss your case.