Individuals Who Were Strip Searched at the Cumberland County Jail Could Be Affected by a Class Action

WILDWOOD, N.J., Sept. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the law firm Barry, Corrado, & Grassi, P.C. about the lawsuit Parrish v. Cumberland County, No. CUM-L-293-20, in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Cumberland County.

A lawsuit that accuses Cumberland County of unlawful strip searches under New Jersey law has been certified as a class action and may be proceeding to trial. The case seeks money damages for strip searches as well as a court order or consent decree that the facility will stop this practice. 

Cumberland County denies these claims. The lawyers for the Class will have to prove their claims in Court.

Individuals are included if they were admitted to the Cumberland County Correctional Facility from May 8, 2018, through the present for non-indictable offenses and strip searched upon entry to the jail. A non-indictable offense includes offenses for which the accused may be incarcerated for less than six months, such as child support, driving offenses, shoplifting, other like minor offenses and failure to pay fines or appear for these offenses.

The Court has not decided who is right, and the two sides have not reached a settlement. There are no benefits available now and no guarantee that there will be. The case may go to trial. The Court has appointed Oliver T. Barry, Esq., of Barry, Corrado & Grassi, PC to represent the Class as "Class Counsel."

Some individuals may have received a notice about the lawsuit in the mail. For those people who believe they are included but did not receive a notice, they can visit www.CumberlandCountyStripSearch.com or call 1-609-729-1333 for more information.

Affected individuals have a choice to remain members of the Class or exclude themselves. 

• To stay in the Class and rely upon Class Counsel to represent their interests, they do not have to do anything. If money or benefits are obtained, they will be notified about how to submit a claim.
• Those who wish to directly represent their interest may file a motion with the court seeking to intervene, either on their own pro se or by retaining their own attorney to file a motion on their behalf.
• Those who do not want to be part of the class and bound by the outcome of this case and/or want to keep their rights to sue Cumberland County on their own over the claims in this case need to exclude themselves. Written exclusion requests must be sent to: Cumberland County Litigation, c/o Rust Consulting, Inc. – 7729, P.O. Box 2599, Faribault, MN 55021-9599.

If the case is not dismissed or settled, Plaintiffs will have to prove their claims at a trial that will take place at Cumberland County Courthouse, Broad and Fayette St. S, Bridgeton, NJ 08302. Once a trial date has been set, that information will be posted on the website, www.CumberlandCountyStripSearch.com.   

For more information:

• Visit: www.CumberlandCountyStripSearch.com
• Call: 1-609-729-1333
• Write to: Cumberland County Litigation, c/o Rust Consulting, Inc. – 7729, P.O. Box 2599, Faribault, MN 55021-9599

SOURCE Barry, Corrado, & Grassi, P.C.