Former inmates win $1.5 million settlement after being held past their release dates in Smith County
More than 100 formerly incarcerated people are part of a $1.5 million settlement stemming from their being held past their release dates at the Smith County Jail.
Attorneys at SMU's Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center say the settlement addresses claims that Smith County routinely held people beyond their lawful release dates.
Nathan Fennell, policy attorney at the Deason Center, said the county prioritized "its own convenience over the rights and interests of the people it's supposed to be serving."
"Smith County is legally obligated to handle this better and faster, but nobody cared enough to try," Fennell said.
The lawsuit was filed jointly by the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center, civil rights firm Loevy & Loevy, and civil rights attorney Akeeb Dami Animashaun.
Lawsuit cites disorganized release system
The lawsuit says Smith County violated the 14th Amendment by keeping people jailed days or weeks past release because of a disorganized, paper‑based system with no deadlines or tracking.
Settlement funds will be distributed to 102 class members based on the number of days each person was unlawfully detained.
The Texas Jail Project first identified the Smith County issue through direct contact with incarcerated people and families.
"We're visiting people inside," said Krishnaveni Gundu, executive director of the Texas Jail Project. "We're hearing from people inside. We're hearing from their families," and added that it feels like, "no one's really keeping track of anything."
Case reflects national overdetention trend
The Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center said the settlement highlights a broader national overdetention problem, with similar issues documented in Texas, Louisiana, and New York. Loevy & Loevy is also litigating a major class‑action case over widespread overdetention in Louisiana.
"Overdetention is a systemic issue across many criminal systems, violating the constitutional right of countless individuals by denying them their freedom," said Meg Gould, attorney at Loevy + Loevy. "We are proud to work on behalf of people who deserve to have their rights vindicated."